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The Romance 

of 

Lower Carolina 

HISTORIC. ROMANTIC AND TRADITIONAL 
INCIDENTS OF THE 

Colonial and Revolutionary Eras 

OF THAT PART OF SOUTH CAROUNA AT AND BELOW 

THE FALLS OF THE RIVERS; LOCALITIES SO 

PLAINLY DESCRIBED. AS TO BE 

EASILY IDENTIFIED 



C. IRVINE WALKER 



ART PUBLISHING COMPANY 
CHARLESTON. S. C. 






COPYRIGHTED, 19,5 

BY 

C. IRVINE WALKER 



PRESSES OF WALKER. EVANS A c 
CHARLESTON, S. C. 



OOSWELL CO. 



OK 17/9/5 

©CU4I6948 



CONTENTS 



A St. Cecilia Concert in Olden Days - - - 37 
A Surgeon as a Despatch Carrier - - - - 133 

Adamson, Capt. John — A Chivalrous Tory - 152 
Ancient Mill Dam (1699) i^ Summerville - 145 
An Historic Pane of Glass ------ 72 

Art in the Early Days of Carolina - - - - 57 

Ashley Hall, the Home of Gov. Wm. Bull - 8 
Bacot, Samuel, an Adept at Escaping - - - 55 
Baron DeKalb's Death -------- 80 

Battles and Engagements (66) which took place 

during the Revolution in Lower Carolina 117 
Bethel Methodist Episcopal Church - - - no 
Birthplace of the First Carolina Baby, and 

of the Rice Culture -------146 

Bows and Arrows as Partisan Weapons - - 6 
Breech Loaders, Revolutionary ----- 98 

British Supplies and Men Captured at Hunt's 

Bluff ------------- 12 

British supply (not willingly) Patriots with 

arms and munitions -------68 

Calhoun, Patrick — How he advocated popular 

suffrage -----------112 

Campbell, ''Mad" Archie — His capture - - 5 
Campbell, "Mad" Archie — His marriage - - 32 
Capture of British Galley by Captain Rudolph 49 
Carolina owes her freedom to the Partisans - 150 



Charleston Library - - - - 104 

Charleston, Siege of, 1780 85 

Coincidences and Contradictions ----- 39 

College of Charleston - - 138 

Crockett, James, and the Bear 7^ 

Cruelty of Tarleton's Quarters 7^ 

Cupid respects not political differences - - 115 

Don't ask for gizzards H 

Dorchester as it once was 65 

Earliest permanent white inhabitant of South 

Carolina ----- 3 

Edwards, John— His liberality and patriotism 26 

English Church in Georgetown 148 

Exchange, Charlestown, now known as the 

Old Post Office - - 105 

Fidelity of a British Corporal 103 

First Baptist Church, Charlestown - - - 35 
First Battle for Carolina's Liberties - - - 13 
First Celebration of "Carolina Day,'' June 28 60 
First Church established in the Colony - - 47 
First Congregationalist Church in the Colony 31 
First Free Public Library in America - - - 5^ 
First Presbyterian (Scotch) Church, Charles- 
town -----03 

First Reading of the Declaration of Indepen- 
dence in Charlestown ------ 75 

First site of Charlestown 140 

Fort at Dorchester _---6i 

Fort Moultrie, Battle of 4i 

From the hallowed past to the practical present 161 
Harleston's (Major) Faithful Ben - - - - 28 
Hayne, Col. Isaac— His execution - - - - 78 
Hayne, Col. Isaac— His rescue 91 



Heyward, Mrs., would not illuminate - - - 102 
How politics were run in 1768 ----- 141 

How the Partisans reached their swamp fast- 
nesses ------------ g^ 

Huguenot Church in Charlestown - - - - 69 

Huguenot settlement, by Rivers - - - - 113 

Ingleside, and Marion's Oak ------ 25 

Izard, Ralph, evades his enemies - - - - 134 

Jackson, Andrew — His imprisonment at Cam- 
den during the Revolution 21 

James (Maj.) interviews the British Captain 99 

Jewish Synagogue, Charlestown 149 

Johnson (Governor) Introduces Rice Culture 143 
Laurens, Col. John — His gallant rashness - iii 

Love finds out the way "3^ 

Magazine Explosion --- 158 

Majoribanks (Major) British — His gallan- 
try and chivalry --------30 

Manigault, Gabriel, and his grandson, offer 

their services iii 

Marion's Escape 9 

Marion's Men not in the triumphal parade - 52 
Marion's True Birthplace -------66 

Mayham's (Col.) acceptance of a writ and 

how he fought a bed-post 39 

Mayham's Towers yy 

Meeting of Exiles "67 

Motte, Rebecca, gives arrows to burn her house 52 
Moultrie, General William -------54 

Moultrie (Gen.) meeting his slaves - - - 10 
Moultrie and Pinckney at Snee's Farm - - 146 
Oldest Houses in Charlestown ----- 4 

Parish Church, St. George's, Dorchester - - 144 



Pinckney House in Charlestown - - - - 139 

Pirates' Bones under Battery - - - - - I57 

Pitt, William — His statue - - - - - - 159 

Plantation Residences of the Proprietary Era 2^ 
Pompion Hill Chapel --------158 

Postell, (Major) Captures a British Party - 134 

Pr ingle House, on lower King St., Charlestown 22 

Quakers among the early settlers - - - - 35 

Roberts (Col.) and Davie (Major) - - - 97 

Rumph, Captain, and Billy Sturkie - - - 156 
Runnymede on the Ashley ------153 

St. Andrew's Church ---130 

St. James' Goose Creek Church 70 

St. John's Lutheran Church, Charlestown - 74 
St. Mary's, the first Roman Catholic Church 

in Charlestown --------148 

St. Michael's in Charlestown ----- 96 

Saunders, Wm. — His capture ----- 109 

Saunders, Wm., the pioneer of Sumter County 147 

Sergt. Jasper replaces the flag on Ft. Moultrie 45 

Sharp Witticisms of the Rebel Women - - loi 

Silk Culture in Colonial Days ----- 15 

Silver of Bishop Smith, and of Church, saved 31 
Skinner, Dr., not frightened, but "damnably 

alarmed" ---------- n 

Smith, Capt. John, and the British Lieutenant 151 

Social Life during the Proprietary Era - - 135 
South Carolina's Leadership ------21 

South Carolina Society founded 1737 - - - I37 
States of South Carolina and Georgia — Pro- 
posal to unite --- y^ 

Sumter's home in the High Hills of Santee - 131 

Swamp Homes of the Partisans - - - - 107 



The famous Liberty Tree - io8 

The Swamp Epicure ----- ----8i 

Thomas Cordes' life saved by smoking his pipe 53 
Unitarian Church Building, Charlestown - - 149 
Vander Horst, Maj. John, has narrow escape 137 
Warren's, Col. Samuel, '*Leg"-acy - - - - 109 

When A. B. C.'s were first taught in Carolina 17 
White Meeting House at Dorchester - - - 36 
Wragg, William, noble devotion to principle - 155 



PREFACE 

This collection of stories of the Colonial and 
Revolutionary eras of coastal South Carolina is 
called 'The Romance of Lower Carolina." The 
great majority of the stories which are here given 
are from duly credited history, many are based up- 
on tradition, and some very few are pure fiction. 
To avoid criticism for historical inaccuracy, the 
stories are called ''Romances." 

I have been merely a collector, not an author, 
and have ofttimes used the very language of the 
authorities borrowed from. It gives me pleasure 
to acknowledge indebtedness to the authors of the 
various publications bearing on the History, Tra- 
ditions and Romances of the State, and of sundry 
sections thereof, to be found in the most valued 
store of the Charleston Library, and to individual 
friends, among whom are Messrs. David Doar, 
Dr. R. Y. Dwight, Philip E. Porcher, D. E. Huger 
Smith, Hon. H. A. M. Smith, Joseph loor Waring, 
Rev. Robert Wilson, Mrs. W. L. Saunders and 
Miss Anne S. Deas. 

The only touches of modernism are the num- 
bered notes. It is aimed to make these so explicit 
that a stranger could, with their guidance, visit 
and stand upon the many spots consecrated by the 
valor, heroism and patriotism of the Colonial and 
Revolutionary forefathers of lower Carolina. 

C. IRVINE WALKER. 



THE EARLIEST PERMANENT WHITE INHABITANT 
OF SOUTH CAROLINA 

In 1665 the Lords Proprietors sent an expedi- 
tion to examine the coast of their grant. In 
charge thereof was Robert Sanford and with him 
was Dr. Woodward, a "chirurgeon" and friend 
of the Earl of Shaftesbury. Those men explored 
the coast. While in North Edisto Inlet there came 
down to them a friendly Indian who had been 
on the Cape Fear, called the Cassique of Kiawah. 
This deluded savage was extremely anxious for 
the white men to settle in his country, and to that 
end proposed to Sanford that one of his party 
should come on shore and remain with him, while 
his sister's son should sail away with the English- 
men, "for the mutual learning of the languages." 
Dr. Woodward, the courageous "chirurgeon," was 
left with the savages. The Cassique honorably 
fulfilled his part of the bargain, making his guest 
comfortable after the manner of his nation, and 
delivering him up in safety w^hen Governor Sayle 
arrived in 1670. 

Some of the most illustrious families of South 
Carolina were descended from Dr. Woodward, in 
fact, it is to be doubted whether any other immi- 
grant to this or any other State, had as many 
distinguished descendants. 

3 



OLDEST HOUSES IN CHARLESTOWN 

Dr. Shecut, in his essay on the topography 
of Charles Town, written in 1719, states that 
among the first brick houses built in the town 
was that in Cumberland Street, which was the 
residence of Chief Justice Trott^^, just west of 
the old Powder Magazine^*, which was doubtless 
the magazine of the Carteret Bastion. 




Col. Rhett's Home. Hasell Street, Charlestown. 

Dr. Johnson, in his 'Traditions," states that 
Colonel Rhett's family mansion^^ at the time of 

i3No. 25 Cumberland Street. 

14 Magazine on Cumberland Street, home of the Colonial 

Dames. 
i^No. 58 Hasell Street, opposite Trinity Church. 



his death, was the still excellent building in Hasell 
Street. This is corroborated by a map, published 
in 1739. If this was Colonel Rhett's residence, 
the building was probably built during the Pro- 
prietary rule, as he died January 14, 1722. 

A Watch or Guard House stood at the end of 
Broad Street, where the Old Post Office Building 
now stands. 

It is not known that any historic incidents at- 
tach to either of these buildings, and only their 
age gives them interest in this our new country. 

Tradition alone gives authority to the statement 
that a small two-story brick house^^ on Church 
Street, adjoining the lot on the southwest corner 
of Tradd Street, is one of the very oldest in the 
City. It is said that the Council of the Province 
held their meetings in one of its rooms. It is 
extremely doubtful if the building now standing 
on the site w^as the original building, though it is 
very old. 



CAPTURE OF '*MAD" ARCHIE CAMPBELL 

In St. Thomas Parish, near the residence of 
Bishop Smith, on a plantation called Brabant*, a 
battle was fought January 3, 1782, at Videau's 
Bridge between Coffin's cavalry of the British anny 
and a detachment of Marion's Brigade under Col. 
Richard Richardson. In the first attack, the 
British were defeated, and "Mad" Archie Camp- 
bell was captured by two Venning brothers. The 

i^No. 71 Church Street, west side. 

^Battlefield on Brabant Plantation, St. Thomas' Parish. 



horse of one brother having refused to carry 
double, Nicholas Venning took the prisoner be- 
hind him on his horse. Finding that he was mak- 
ing an effort to escape, Nicholas, as ordered, shot 
him. His grandson, Mortimer Venning, recorded 
the incident and kept in his possession the sword 
Nicholas Venning wore, until after our late War 
between the States, when he lost it, together with 
other valuable possessions. The sword was made 
of a saw-blade bound with wire to a wooden 
handle, and was used by him until the close of the 
Revolutionary War. 



BOWS AND ARROWS AS PARTISAN WEAPONS 

In a sequestered, beautiful bay or small bottom 
of swamp lands, about a mile east of the Ashley 
River, and three miles below the British Post of 
Dorchester, was the camp of a small detachment 
of Marion's men. Around one of the camp fires 
was a group of four persons. The carcass of a 
fine buck lay between them. One of the party, a 
Lieutenant, had been carefully examining the 
game, and finally exclaimed, 'T give it up — there 
is no wound except that of the arrow, and it has 
fairly passed through the body. I have no more 
doubts. But that you, such a miserable sapling 
of a fellow, should have sent the reed clean 
through such a beast is enough to stagger my be- 
lief. You must have been at butting distance, 
used no bow, but the arrow as a spear." "Shot 
it, I swan, at full fifty-five paces — I stepped it ofif 

6 



myself," said one of the Partisans. *'I give it 
up!" said the Lieutenant, *'I will believe in any 
weapon that brings us such meat. Henceforth, 
boys, take your bows and arrows always. When 
the Major took it into his head to supply such 
weapons to our men for the want of better, I 
thought he had gone clean mad. I never heard 
his argument for it — I never hear anything but 
the dinner horn when I am hungry. Lay on, boy, 
and let's have a steak as soon as possible. What 
a glorious creature! Fat an inch thick, and meat 
as tender as a doe's bosom. The Santee's well 
enough, but there's a sweetness, a softness, a 
plumpness, a beauty about birds and beasts along 
the Ashley, that you find nowhere else. God 
bless my mother! She chose it for my birthplace. 
I should not have been half the man that I am, 
born anywhere else; should not have had such dis- 
criminating taste, such a fine appetite, such a sense 
of the beautiful in nature." 

The deer had been brought down with an arrow 
from a hickory bow. The Partisans were so de- 
ficient in arms that they had to go back ages, to 
the bow and arrow. They proposed to use them 
against the enemy as well as to secure food. To 
such extremities were the devoted sons of Caro- 
lina brought in their struggle for liberty! Suffer- 
ing all trials, all privations, making any sacrifices 
— yet their poor country was not able to even arm 
them for the strife, much less to clothe and feed 
them. Heroes beyond all doubt! The noblest of 
Patriots! 



ASHLEY HALL, THE HOME OF GOV. WM. BULL 




Building at Ashley Hall, built about 1704. Treaty of Peace 
with Indians, signed therein. 

On the old Bull Plantation, Ashley Hall^^ 
stands a small one-story brick house, built by the 
original Stephen Bull about 1704. In this house 
was signed a treaty of peace with the Cherokee 
Indians. After the war of 1761 and the defeat 
of the Cherokees, their great Chief Attakullakulla, 
attended by several of the tribal chieftains, came 
down to Charlestown to confer with Lieut. Gov. 
Bull, then acting as Governor. A council was 
called at Ashley Ferry. Gov. Bull, on receiving 
the Chief, took him by the hand as a pledge of his 
security. A fire was kindled, and the pipe of peace 
was lighted and all smoked together for some time 



i^Ashley Hall was on the west bank of the Ashley River, 
at Ashley Ferry. It is reached by the Ashley River 
Road. 

8 



in silence. Attakullakulla then opened his mis- 
sion and in a speech of great dignity and pathos, 
sued for peace. This Governor Bull readily 
granted. Thus ended the War with the Chero- 
kees, which had proved ruinous to them and dis- 
astrous to the Colonists. 

On this plantation stood the house built in 1704 
by Stephen Bull, who came out with the very first 
Colonists, and after his death the residence, in 
succession, of two William Bulls, his son and 
grandson, who for more than thirty years were 
Lieutenant Governors of the Province, and often 
had the administration of its affairs — a house 
which was the scene of many historic incidents. 
It remained standing until 1865, when it and its 
priceless contents were burned to prevent their fall- 
ing into the hands of the Federals. 



GENERAL MARION'S ESCAPE 

One of the most picturesque old places on the 
Santee was Hampton, the home of Col. Daniel 
Horry^. Late one evening Mrs. Horry heard the 
sound of horse hoofs, and then a man's voice 
asking admission. It was General Marion, return- 
ing from the attack on Georgetown, and being 
pursued by the British. His men had gone on, 
but Marion, worn out and exhausted, stopped for 
supper and a lodging. While supper was being 
prepared the weary soldier dropped asleep in his 

5 Col. Daniel Horry's plantation, Hampton, on South 
Santee. 



chair. Suddenly came the tramp of horses — the 
British were upon him. Mrs. Horry waked the 
dozing General and led him out the back door of 
the house. She then met the enemy at the front 
and, parleying with them, gave Marion time to 
make his escape. He swam Wambaw Creek at 
the back of the house and hid until the enemy 
disappeared, and was thus saved from capture by 
the bloody Tarleton, by a Patriot woman's devotion. 



MEETING OF GEN. MOULTRIE AND HIS SLAVES 

General Moultrie, going from Waccamaw, 
late in September, 1782, to General Greene's army 
at Ashley Ferry, stopped at his home^, which was 
on the direct road. He says, "On my entering 
the place, as soon as the negroes discovered that I 
was of the party, there was immediately a general 
alarm and an outcry through the plantation that 
'Massa was come! Massa was come!!' and they 
were running from every part with great joy to 
see me. I stood in the piazza to receive them. 
They gazed at me with astonishment and every 
one came and took me by the hand saying, 'God 
bress you, Massa! I'm glad to see you, Massa!' 
and every now and then one or other would come 
out with a 'Ky!' and the old Africans joined in a 
war song in their own language. It was an affec- 
tionate meeting between the slaves and the master. 
The tears stole down from my eyes and ran down 

^Moultrie's plantation, Windsor, adjoining, to its west, 
Woodstock, Southern Railway. 

10 



my cheeks. I then possessed about two hundred 
slaves, and not one of them left me during the 
war, although they had had great offers." 



DR. SKINNER NOT FRIGHTENED BUT 
♦♦DAMNABLY ALARMED" 

Dr. Skinner^ of Lee's Legion, was an extra- 
ordinary character, full of eccentricities. Col. 
Lee once said that the Doctor made a dire objec- 
tion to the field of battle, yet in private society 
was always ready for a quarrel. His excuses for 
seeking the rear in time of battle were very orig- 
inal. 

On a night alarm at Ninety-Six, as Col. Lee 
was hastening forward to learn the cause, he met 
Skinner in full retreat, and stopping him, said, 
"What is the matter, Doctor; whither so fast; not 
frightened, I hope?" No, Colonel, no," replied 
the Doctor, ''not absolutely frightened, but I can- 
didly confess, most damnably alarmed." 

Falstaff maintained that it was proper for every 
man 'To labor in his vocation." Dr. Skinner 
asserted "That every man had his sphere of action, 
beyond the limits of which he ought never to 
emerge. Mine, amidst the conflicts of battle, is in 
the rear. There, I am always to be found. I am 
firm at my post. What did Dr. Irvine get by 
quitting his? A wound — a villanous wound. 
Shall I step out of my sphere and set myself up 
as a mark to be shot at? Oh, no! I am a 

11 



stickler for the strict performance of duty, but 
feel no ambition to shine beyond it." 

Arriving at the river, when an attack was pro- 
posed on John's Island, he was asked if he in- 
tended to pass the ford. ''By no means," replied 
Skinner, "the river is too deep and my spirits are 
not buoyant. I should certainly sink and meet a 
watery grave. Death by water drinking! I 
shudder at the thought of it." 



BRITISH SUPPLIES AND MEN CAPTURED 
AT HUNT'S BLUFF 

On the very day in 1780 when the British re- 
linquished their post at Cheraw, the inhabitants, 
distressed by their deprivations and disgusted 
with their conduct, took up arms. McArthur, 
the British commander, arranged to transport his 
sick and the captured negroes by boats to George- 
town. A party of Whigs, under the lead of 
James Gillespie, collected at Bedingfields (now 
Toby's Mill, three miles from Cheraw). As they 
moved down the river their number increased and 
the command was assigned to Major Tristram 
Thomas. The British had left the Pee Dee and 
were retreating tow^ard Black Creek. 

The Whigs determined on Hunt's Bluffs as the 
best place to intercept the enemy's flotilla from 
Cheraw. They made a mock battery of wooden 
guns and ostentatiously displayed their force on 

■^Hunt's Bluff, on Pee Dee River, about twenty-five miles 
below Cheraw, on the east bank. 

12 



the river banks. When the flotilla appeared, it 
was halted and demand made for unconditional 
surrender. This was accepted. At the same time 
a large boat, coming up from Georgetown with 
supplies for the British, was seized. More than 
one hundred captives was secured and were carried 
to North Carolina as prisoners. 

This effective blow struck increased terror into 
the enemy, already alarmed, and encouraged the 
Patriots to more determined and unyielding re- 
sistance. It was the first brilliant exploit yet 
achieved upon the Pee Dee, and occurred just at 
the time when the most important moral effects 
were likely to follow in its train. 



THE FIRST BATTLE FOR CAROLINA'S LIBERTIES 

Little is generally known of the first battle of 
the War for Independence fought in South Caro- 
lina, and it will be interesting to learn its history. 

The Patriots had seized and garrisoned Fort 
Johnson^ on the James Island shore of Charles- 
town harbor, and hoisted on the fort the first 
American flag unfurled in the State. This fort 
had first been built in 1707 as a protection when 
the French under Admiral Le Feboure attacked 
the City. The flag was of a blue color with a 
white crescent in the dexter corner. The British 
ships Cherokee and Tamar lay in Rebellion Road. 
News having reached the Provincial Congress, 
then in session at Charlestown, that the British 



sport Johnson, on James Island, south side of Harbor. 

13 



had fired upon the town of Bristol, Rhode Island, 
passed a resolution directing the officer command- 
ing at Fort Johnson, "by every military operation 
to oppose the passage of any British naval arma- 
ment that might attempt to pass." 




First Flag of South Carolina Troops. 



A passage to the town, without the range of 
the guns of Fort Johnson, was practicable for the 
small Royal armed vessels in the harbor, via the 
Marsh and Hog Island channels. It was deter- 
mined by the Council of Safety to block these 
channels, by sinking schooners therein. To cover 
this work, a coasting schooner, Defence, was 
armed with ten guns and manned by a detail from 
Col. Moultrie's regiment. Six old schooners had 
been purchased, two to be sunk in Marsh Channel, 
and four in Hog Island Channel. As soon as the 
hulks, which were in advance, approached their 
destination, the Tamar opened and fired six shots, 

14 



which all fell short. As soon as the Defence 
came to anchor she replied with her two nine- 
pounders, which, being heavier guns, carried their 
shot much farther than the Tamar's had done. 
The Tamar, now roused at the insult, returned the 
fire with three or four shots, while the Defence 
answered with one. Meanwhile three hulks were 
sunk, but the tide ebbed and placing of the others 
was delayed until next morning. Meanwhile the 
British vessels warped into Hog Island Cove as 
close as they could and about quarter after four 
in the morning of November 12, 1775, opened 
their broadsides on the American schooner De- 
fence, continuing the cannonade until near seven 
o'clock. The alarm was beaten in Charlestown, 
thd Second Regiment stood to their arms, and! 
the volunteer companies formed at their different 
alarm posts. 

Notwithstanding this heavy fire, the fourth 
hulk was carried to her proper position and left 
sinking. During the fight the Carolina officers 
and men behaved well. The garrison at Fort 
Johnson attempted to take part and fired, at ten 
degrees elevation, three twenty-six pound shots 
at his Majesty's ships, but the distance was too 
great, and the fire was discontinued. The objects 
of the Americans having been accomplished, the 
Defence came up to an anchorage off the City front. 
There were no casualties on either side. 



15 



SILK CULTURE IN COLONIAL DAYS 

The King and Lords Proprietors of the Colony 
would naturally want all the resources of the 
country developed. It was thought that the coun- 
try could produce wines and silks. The Hugue- 
nots, generally, were familiar with these. So in 
1680 King Charles gave free passage to Charles- 
town, in the ship Richmond, to some families of 
French Protestants, who had refugeed in England, 
forty-five persons in all, on the understanding that 
they were to introduce the cultivation of vines and 
the production of olive oil and silk. Officially, 
this was promulgated in these words, ''And pro- 
vided, alsoe, that the said Families bee such as 
shall come from beyond the seas" (French Hugue- 
nots) ''and bee many of them skilful and practiced 
in the manufacture of Wines, Silks and Oyles." 
There is no account of any success with the wines 
and oils. As to silks, it appears that the eggs of the 
silk worms brought by the settlers were hatched at 
sea, and from want of sustenance, the worms died, 
and thus was frustrated the first effort at introduc- 
ing into the colony "a manufacture of silks." Even- 
tually, it reached an approximate success, as the 
Custom House records show some silk was exported 
to Great Britain by the Colony. It is said that the 
dress which Queen Anne wore when she was 
crowned in 1702 was made entirely of silk pro- 
duced in her Colony of Carolina. 

Mrs. Thomas Pinckney, about 1745, paid some 
attention to this industry, and with such successful 
results that she had three beautiful dresses woven 

16 




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o 


o 


n 




M 


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o 


o 

O) 


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of her silk. One of these she presented to the 
Princess Dowager of Wales (the mother of 
George III), one to Lord Chesterfield, who had 
befriended the colony, and the third, a lustrous 
gold colored brocade, owned (in 1896) by her 
grand daughter of the fourth degree, is still greatly 
admired when produced for exhibition. 



WHEN THE A B C»S WERE FIRST TAUGHT 
IN CAROLINA 

Education received, very early, the attention 
of the people in the Carolina Colony. No children 
having come over with the first immigrants, there 
was no necessity for schools immediately after 
the settlement. Prior to 1710, which was within 
thirty years of the founding of Charlestown, the 
people had conceived and attempted the establish- 
ment of a free school, and several legacies had 
been left therefor. In 1711 there was established 
in Charlestown a free school, under the care of 
the Rev. William Guy. In 171 2 the Assembly 
passed "An Act for the encouragement of learn- 
ing," which, within the year, however, had given 
place to a more elaborate system, under "An Act 
for founding and erecting a Free School in 
Charlestown for the use of the inhabitants of the 
Province of Carolina." An inscription on a tomb 
stone, still standing in St. Philip's churchyard*, 



9This tombstone is south of the Church, and about thirty 
paces from south door, near path to Church Home. 

17 



attests that it had been established and certainly 
maintained until 1729, which is as follows: 

'The Rev. Mr. John Lambert 

Late Master, Principal and Teacher of Grammar 

and other sciences taught in the 

Free School 

at Charlestozvn for y^ Province of South Carolina 

and afternoon lecturer of the Parish 

of St. Philip's Charlestozvn, 

Departed this life (suddenly) on y^ 4 August 1729 

Blessed is this servant zvhom his Lord, when 

He cometh shall find so doing" 

Gov. Sir Francis Nicholson (Governor 1721- 
1729), was a friend of learning. He liberally 
contributed to the support of the school and pressed 
upon the Colonists the usefulness and necessity of 
provincial school establishments. In 1722, an- 
other Act was passed by which the Justices of 
County and Precinct Courts were authorized to 
purchase land, establish a free school in each 
county and precinct, and to assess the expenses 
thereof upon the property within their jurisdiction. 
They were instructed to appoint Masters, who 
should be "well skilled in the Latin tongue." 

Many legacies and gifts were made to the Free 
Schools of Carolina. In 1728, Rev. Richard Lad- 
son died, leaving all of his property for the in- 
struction of the poor of St. James, Goose Creek. 
This was added to by subscriptions from the Col- 
onists and in 1778 amounted to £15,272, currency. 

18 



A free school was established in the Parish of 
Dorchester in 1734. The Fellowship Society of 
Charlestown^^ was incorporated in 1769, and was 
one of the very first organizations in this country 
for the care and relief of the insane, but appro- 
priated one-half of its funds for the gratuitous 
education of poor children. The St. Andrews So- 
ciety of Charlestown^^ likewise appropriated a 
portion of their funds for similar purposes. 

The Winyah Society of Georgetown^^, founded 
about 1740, met in Georgetown for social enjoy- 
ment, and about 1753 a considerable fund had ac- 
cumulated. To what good purpose should the 
fund be devoted? Tradition relates that at the 
close of a discussion upon the subject the president 
called upon the members to fill their glasses, as 
he wished to close the debate by a definite proposi- 
tion for which each member should signify his ap- 
proval by emptying his glass. He said, ''There 
may be intellectual food, which the present state 
of society is not fit to partake of; to lay such be- 
fore it, would be as absurd as to give a quadrant 
to an Indian; but knowledge is, indeed, as free as 
air. It has been wisely ordained that light should 
have no color, water no taste, air no odor; so, in- 
deed, knowledge should be equally pure and with- 
out admixture of creed or cant. I move, there- 
fore, that the surplus funds in the treasury be de- 
voted to the establishment of an independent char- 

iiSite of Fellowship Society Hall, on Archdale Street. 
lOSite St. Andrew's Society Hall, No. 118 Broad Street. 
i2\Vinyah Indigo Society's Hall, Georgetown, S. C. 

19 



ity school for the poor." The meeting rose to its 
feet. Every glass was turned down without stain- 
ing the table cloth, and the school of the Winyah 
Indigo Society was established and has continued 
its good work to this day. 

The columns of the Gazette from 1733 to 1774 
show, for the period and circumstances, a lively 
interest in educational matters. During this per- 
iod there are more than four hundred advertise- 
ments relating to schools and teachers. There 
were day schools, evening schools, and boarding 
schools, schools for boys and for girls. The fol- 
lowing advertisement appears May 22, iy'^2, and 
seems quaint to a reader of the present day: 

''At the house of Mrs. Delaware on Broad 
Street, is taught these sciences — Arithmetic, Alge- 
bra, Geometry, Trigonometry, Surveying, Dialling, 
Navigation, Anatomy, Gauging, Fortification. 
The Stereographic and Orthographic Projections 
of the Spheres. The use of the Globe and the 
Italian method of Bookkeeping by John Miller." 

The facts given above are from McCrady's 
History of South Carolina under the Royal Gov- 
ernment. It is deeply regretted that space does 
not allow giving in full the articles showing the 
large measure of attention given in the Province 
to education and the liberal arts. See chapter xxv, 
pp. 482 et seq., and be convinced that the Colony 
of South Carolina was not equalled by any other 
colony in the early and liberal attention given to 
and in the development of the education and polite 
arts which adorned her colonial history. 

20 



PRESIDENT ANDREW JACKSON'S IMPRISONMENT AT 
CAMDEN, DURING THE REVOLUTION 

The British had many prisoners in a vile, 
loathsome prison house in Camden, many of them 
distinguished Carolinians, and many from the 
Waxhaws. Among the latter were Andrew Jack- 
son, who won the brilliant American victory at 
New Orleans, and subsequently became President 
of the United States. Here occurred the well- 
known incident of his refusing to black the boots 
of a British officer, who gave a sabre cut, leaving 
a mark which he carried through life — a mark of 
honor. 

This clearly shows that Andrew Jackson was a 
South Carolinian, he having been brought a prisoner 
from the Waxhaw settlement in that State. 



THE LEADERSHIP OF SOUTH CAROLINA 

In the two great political and bloody convulsions 
w^hich have swept over our land, it has been the 
fate of South Carolina to inaugurate action in 
each. To take the first steps which brought about 
definite action. Many of the younger men of the 
generation which witnessed the State lead the 
Secession movement of 1861 are yet alive and well 
remember the thrilling events of those momentous 
days. The actors in that event, perhaps, did not 
know, certainly we can recall no reference to it, at 
the time, that South Carolina was doing in 1861 

21 



what she had done in the early days of the Revolu- 
tionary struggle, led in a great political upheaval. 

The historian Drayton says, "South Carolina 
was the first of the United Colonies that formed 
an independent constitution; it rested on the funda- 
mental point that the voice of the people was the 
source of law, honor and office." 

This patriotic action was taken in January, 1775, 
while the Battles of Lexington and Concord were 
fought in April of the same year, and it was some 
time before Massachusetts or any other of the 
Colonies took similar action formally sundering 
the State or Colonial bonds with the mother coun- 
try. 



THE PRINGLE HOUSE ON LOWER KING STREET, 
CHARLESTOWN 

The elegant mansion, now known as the Pringle 
House^^, was built in Colonial times and owned, 
about the commencement of the Revolution, by 
Miles Brewton. Being one of the most imposing 
and elegant homes in the City of Charlestown, it 
was used by the British, during the occupation of 
the City, as the headquarters of the commanding 
officer. Mrs. Rebecca Motte, who patriotically 
sacrificed her home at Fort Motte, was the sister 
of Miles Brewton. A very complete and most 
artistic description of this historic old building has 
been published. Therefore, for particulars consult 



I8N0. 27 King Street, west side, below Lamboll Street. 

22 



this book, titled ^Twenty Drawings of the Pringle 
House on King Street, Charlestown, S. C./' by 
Miss Alice R. Huger Smith. 



PLANTATION RESIDENCES OF THE 
PROPRIETARY ERA 




Landgrave Smith's Back River House. 

A FEW plantation residences built during the 
Proprietary Government, which ended in 1719, 
were standing until a recent date. The two oldest 
of these were both the property of Landgrave 
Smith. The first was his residence on Back 
River^^, a branch of the Cooper, and is believed 
to be the first brick house in Carolina. 

Landgrave Smith afterwards, in 1693, removed 



I90n Back River, about five miles east of Mt. Holly, 
A. C. L. Railway. 

23 



to Yeaman's Hall, on Goose Creek^^. This has 
been in his family for more than two hundred 
years, but was so much injured by the earthquake 
in 1886 that it is now in ruins. It was surrounded 
by an earthwork and had port holes in its walls, 
to defend it against the Indians. In the cellar was 
a deep well for supplying the family or garrison 
with water in case of a siege. There was also a 
subterranean passage, which led out under the gar- 
den to the Creek, where boats were kept moored. 
There was in this old mansion a secret chamber 
with a panel leading into it, used as a hiding place 
for valuables, in which the family silver was kept 
secreted during the Revolutionary War. 




Mulberry Castle, Cooper River. 

Mulberry Castle^\ on the west side of the Cooper 
River, was built in 1714. This is said to have 
loop holes for musketry, wath bastions at the four 

20Goose Creek, on property now owned by Charleston 

Water Works. 
2iOn Ashley River, three miles from Strawberry. 

A. C. L. Railway. 

24 



comers. It was used also for defending the set- 
tlers in the vicinity against incursions of Indians. 



INGLESIDE AND MARION'S OAK 

About fifteen miles from Charleston and 
eighteen from Summerville, near the Southern 
Railway^^, stands the colonial mansion *'Ingle- 
side," formerly 'The Hayes." It is a square brick 
building with very thick walls. It was built, so 
tradition says, to resist Indian attacks in the early 
colonial days. During the Revolutionary War the 
plantation was owned by Mr. John Parker. One 
day a party of Tory marauders fired on the house. 
Mrs. Parker was sitting in one of the windows, 
but the ball missed her and the hole it made in the 
opposite wall was visible certainly up to a very re- 
cent period. 

On the plantation is a great live oak, known 
as Marion's Oak. Tradition makes this the oak 
under which General Marion regaled the British 
officer on potatoes. Johnson, in his "Traditions of 
the American Revolution," states that he believes 
the story true, but he does not say where it oc- 
curred. 

A British officer came to Marion's quarters un- 
der a flag of truce, and when dinner time came, 
the General invited him to dine. The dinner was 



22This house is about a half a mile from station In^leside, 
on the Southern Railway, and can also be reached by- 
private conveyance by a private road leading from 
the Blue House Road into the State road from 
Charleston. 

25 



of two courses — first, baked potatoes, second, a 
gourd of cool water; rather different from the us- 
ual fare of the British officer. The potatoes were 
served in their skins, but when General Marion 
peeled his, he laid the skins on one side of his 
plate. After the potatoes were consumed, the 
General called for something to drink, and his 
servant brought a gourd full of water, of which 
the officer was invited to drink. Marion's horse 
was then brought up and fed with the potato peel- 
ings saved by his master. It is said that the scene 
so impressed the British officer that on his return 
to his army, he resigned his command. He deter- 
mined never to draw his sword against men who 
so conscientiously opposed the King. Suffering 
privations of all kinds, without pay, clothing or 
arms; compelled to reside in sickly swamps, with 
nothing to drink but water nor to eat but roots, 
and feeding their horses on the refuse of this home- 
ly fare. 



LIBERALITY AND PATRIOTISM OF 
JOHN EDWARDS 

John Edwards, who possessed great wealth, 
was the first inhabitant in Carolina to tender his 
fortune in support of the American Cause. His 
friend, the venerable Josiah Smith, was equally 
liberal. Their example, in a great degree, con- 
tributed to establish the public credit and induce 
others to risk their fortunes for the public good. 
Warned by friends that he was too liberal, he re- 

26 



plied with lofty patriotism, "Be it so! I would 
rather lose my all, than retain it, subject to British 
authority." 

After the fall of Charlestown, Mr. Edwards was 
invited to an interview with Admiral Arbuthnot. 
The Admiral said, "Nothing has appeared more 
extraordinary to Sir Henry Clinton and myself, 
than that you, a native of Great Britain, should 
have taken part with the Rebels and appeared 
throughout the contest a strenuous and decided ad- 
vocate of revolutionary principles. How is it to be 
accounted for?" "Because," replied Mr. Edwards, 
"I conscientiously approve and have solemnly 
pledged myself to support them." The Admiral 
then attempted to convince him of the futility of 
resistance, and suggested his taking protection and 
save his property. Mr. Edwards answered, "The 
temptations of wealth shall never induce me to for- 
feit miy honor. I cannot hesitate to choose, where 
duty, inclination and every virtuous principle points 
out the course which it becomes me to pursue. My 
losses have been great, but they cost me not a sigh. 
My monies were lent to support a cause which I 
consider that of justice and humanity. I have a 
wife, tenderly beloved, and ten children worthy of 
my most ardent affection. They are all dependent 
upon me, and I may probably have little to leave 
them, but good principles and an untarnished repu- 
tation ; but, were a gallows to be raised by your 
order, in my view, and you were to say, 'Your fate 
depends upon your resolve — take protection or 

27 



perish,' I would, without a moment's hesitation — 
die." 

Supporting exile in St. Augustine, with unshaken 
fidelity, he was finally sent to Philadelphia for 
exchange. There his virtues gained him respect; 
his misfortune, friends. He died in exile, amidst 
the regrets of an admiring people, whose pity for 
his sufferings could only be surpassed by their ap- 
plause and their admiration of the firmness with 
which he supported them. 

The residence of John Edwards was on Meeting 
Street, west side, below Smith's Lane, and now 
owned by Mr. George W. Williams. 



MAJOR HARLESTON'S FAITHFUL BEN 

There was a large stock farm, owned by Major 
Isaac Charles Harleston, about fifty miles from 
Charlestown, and in the neighborhood of the 
Irishtown Settlement, and considered a safe refuge. 
But after the fall of Charlestown, marauding par- 
ties of British spread over the country and often 
forced ladies and their stock to find safety in the 
swamps. The horses were in charge of a trusty 
negro, "Cy," and several negro stable boys, among 
whom was "Ben." One day the cry was raised, 
*'De British am coming," and Cy and his followers 
hustled off the stock to the swamp. Ben was as- 
signed the duty of following and obliterating the 
tracks. But alas, the British were on him before 
he could reach the swamp. The British officer 
thought he had a clue to the hiding place of the 

28 



horses and tried bribery on Ben — a shilling, a 
guinea, five guineas, five guineas and protection — 
only drew from the faithful Ben, "I dunno, Sah." 
The flat of the sabre, the point of the sabre, only 
brought the same, "I dunno, Sah." The officer 
began to think that probably Ben did not know the 
hiding place of the stock, and was not a stable boy. 
The sergeant trapped him, however. He dis- 
mounted and examined his horse's hoof. Ben 
looked on with eager interest. *Tt's in the hoof," 
said the officer. ''Boy! Pick up that horse's foot." 
Ben stroked, slapped the leg lightly, lifted the foot 
and probed with his finger around the inside. This 
convinced the officer that, knowing how to handle 
a horse, he was a stable boy. So he renewed his 
queries^ to all of which Ben still answered, *T 
dunno, Sah." "String him up," commanded the 
officer, and Ben was promptly hung up and then 
let down. "Now will you tell?" Ben's answer 
still was, "I dunno, Sah." Up they hauled him 
again, and when they let him down the same ques- 
tion was asked. But Ben's blood was up. "If I 
know, I will dead 'fore I tell," he said sullenly. 
"String him up again and leave him as a warning," 
said the officer, and the troop galloped off. Hardly 
had they gone, when he was spied by one of the 
servants. Ladies and servants rushed out, cut 
down Ben and took vigorous measures for his re- 
covery. At last he gasped, opened his eyes, and 
sat up. "Dey gone?" he asked. "Tank de Lord! 
Lemme go ! Uncle Cy want me down to de swamp 
wid de horses," and off he went. 

29 



This is one of a thousand instances of the faith- 
fulness, loyalty and devotion of the slave to his 
master. 



THE GALLANT AND CHIVALROUS BRITISH MAJOR 
MAJORIBANKS 

Major Majoribanks (pronounced Marsh- 
banks) was a British officer distinguished for brav- 
ery and generosity. He commanded the flank bat- 
talion of the 19th Regiment. He is said to have 
turned aside the bayonet of a British soldier who 
was trying to kill Col. William Washington, after 
being wounded at the Battle of Eutaw. He and 
Major Sheridan saved the British army at that bat- 
tle. On the retreat of the British army, Major 
Majoribanks was taken desperately sick and found 
refuge in a negro cabin on the Daniel Ravenel 
plantation, "Wantoot^^. There he died, and by 
his own request was buried in the woods nearby. 
The grave was first marked by a cypress slab taken 
from an indigo vat, with his name. But Mr. 
Daniel Ravenel erected a very neat and substantial 
tomb, with full inscription, and which is now in a 
good state of preservation. It is on the east side 
of the public road from Biggin Church to Black 
Oak, on Wantoot Plantation, (in 191 5) owned by 
Mr. Elbert Pegues. 

Mr. Ravenel, after the Revolution, communicated 
with the family of the Major, in England, think- 
ing that they would like to remove the remains 



230n the east side of the road from Biggin Church to 
Black Oak, on Mr. Pegues' plantation, Wantoot. 

30 



home, but he never received a reply. The Major's 
request to be buried in the woods rather indicates 
that he may have had some disagreement with his 
family, and did not care to have his remains car- 
ried home. 



THE FIRST CONGREGATIONALIST CHURCH 
IN THE COLONY 

On the earliest plans of Charlestown is found 
marked the site of the Independent Church^"^, 
Presbyterian Congregationalist. This spot on 
Meeting Street has been occupied, up to this day, 
by that religious society. The original Church was 
a small wooden building, which, later being re- 
modeled and enlarged, was painted white and 
thence was known as the ''White Meeting House." 
It was in 1804 supplanted by the brick building 
known as the Circular Church, which was destroyed 
in the great fire of 1861, and in recent years the 
present structure was erected. 

Before the Revolution, the Society had grown 
so largely as to require another building, so it 
erected one on Archdale Street which finally be- 
came the Unitarian Church. 

The old White Meeting House once secured a 
parson in a most providential manner. The Rev. 
Mr. Stobo was returning from the unlucky Scotch 
colony at Darien, after its unfortunate failure. 
Ofif Charleston bar the ship stopped for water and 



27Nos. 136-150 ATceting Street, betv/een Cumberland and 
Queen Streets. 

31 



supplies. Mr. Stobo was invited to come up to 
the City and preach for this congregation on the 
ensuing Sabbath. He did so, and while on shore 
a terrible storm arose, wrecking the ship and losing 
all on board. So clear a "leading" could not be 
neglected. The congregation called him, and he 
accepted. He proved an acceptable, zealous and 
useful preacher during a half century. 



MARRIAGE OF **MAD" ARCHIE CAMPBELL 

Johnson, in his "Traditions," gives the romantic 
story of the marriage, at the pistol point, of "Mad" 
Archie Campbell to Miss Margaret Philp, of 
Charlestown. The distinguished narrator unfor- 
tunately has been either careless or ignorant of 
the true facts. This is evidenced by his giving 
Miss Philp the name of Paulina Phelp, whereas it 
was Margaret Philp. The story as given by John- 
son and followed therefrom by Simms, Mrs. Rav- 
enel and others, is largely incorrect. It is fair to 
presume that the family connection is far better 
authority than good old loquacious Dr. Johnson, 
who did not even know the bride's name. 

The uncle of the Rev. Dr. Robert Wilson, of 
Charleston, married the grand-daughter of "Mad" 
Archie Campbell, and the family history, joined 
to Dr. Wilson's pure and high character, guaran- 
tees the absolute truthfulness of the following ver- 
sion, kindly given by him. 

There was really no opposition on the part of 
Mr. Philp to the marriage of his daughter to Capt. 

32 




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Archie Campbell, of the British force then occupy- 
ing Charlestown. But he did desire delay, as he 
thought proper to make certain enquiries before 
giving his consent to the marriage. The young 
couple, however, did not care to wait, so they went 
up to the Rectory of St. James, Goose Creek^ and 
were married by the Rector, the Rev. Mr. Elling- 
ton. About a year afterward, Capt. Campbell was 
killed at the battle of Videau's Bridge. His wife 
died soon after, leaving a child, the issue of the 
marriage. This child, a sweet little girl, was, in 
her early life, cared for by her grandfather, Mr. 
Philp. After the war he communicated with the 
Duke of Argyle as to his recognition of the child 
as a member of the Argyle family. The Duke 
agreed to recognize her, but required that she 
should be sent to him to care for and rear. Mr. 
Philp most naturally declined this. Subsequently 
Mr. Philp conceived the idea that the Duke was 
endeavoring to get possession of the little girl. 
There was then in the town a British artist, Mr. 
Thomas Coram, who took much notice of the little 
one and had her frequently at his studio. Mr. 
Philp feared that Mr. Coram was an agent of the 
Duke, and was seeking to kidnap the child. How- 
ever, on investigation, it was developed that the 
artist was painting a picture of Christ's blessing 
little children, and wanted the little girl because 
of her great beauty, as the model of one of the 
children in the picture. The little girl therein, 
whom Jesus is blessing, and on whose head the 

1 Goose Creek Church, near Otranto, a station on Atlantic 
Coast Line. 

33 



Saviour's hand rests, is this little girl, the child of 
Capt. Archie Campbell of the British army, and 
his wife. Mr. Coram was a very liberal supporter 
of the Orphan House during his life, and at his 
death left it his entire estate, together with the 
painting referred to above. This painting now 
hangs in the Orphan House Chapel, on the North 
wall, to the East of the pulpit. 

A rather queer circumstance connected with 
Capt. Campbell, is that his name stands on no 
tombstone but that of the son of the man who 
killed him in battle. At its opening the battle of 
Videau's Bridge went favorably to the Partisans 
and Capt. Campbell was captured. He was 
placed in charge of Mr. Nicholas Venning, who 
was instructed to kill him if he attempted to escape. 
Later in the fight, success turned to the British, 
and Capt. Campbell attempted to escape. He was 
then killed by Venning, in accordance with his 
orders. 

In the cemetery of old Christ Church^ a grand- 
son of Nicholas Venning, in recent years, erected 
a monument to his father, James Venning, the 
inscription of which bears these words, "whose 
father, Nicholas Venning, killed a British officer, 
'Mad' Archie Campbell." 

3 Christ Church Cemetery, on McClellanville road, about 
five miles from Alt. Pleasant. 



34 



THE FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH, CHARLESTOWN 

The first Baptist congregation was the earliest 
organization of this denomination in the Southern 
Colonies, having been founded in 1683. The 
meetings were held for some time in private houses. 
In 1699, William Elliott, a member, conveyed to 
the Society the lot on Church Street as a gift^^. 
A wooden building was erected, which was re- 
placed by the present brick building in 1822. Rep- 
resenting the original body of Baptists in the early 
days of the Colony, the tomb-stones in its cemetery 
and tablets on its walls exhibit memorials of the 
founders thereof and early members. 



QUAKERS AMONG THE EARLY SETTLERS 

ThE( Society of Friends, or Quakers, were 
among the earliest sects to establish themselves in 
Carolina. Sir John Archdale, one of the Lords 
Proprietors, who came out in 1682, was a Quaker, 
and he gave them a site from the Archdale Tract, 
on King Street, near Queen, on which to build a 
meeting house^^, and such a place of worship was 
erected as early as 1682. No meetings were held 
after 1698 until a revival in 1718, after which the 
sect gradually died out. 



28Nos. 61-65 Church Street, west side, between Tradd 

and Water Streets. 
29Site on King Street, east side, south of Queen. 



35 



WHITE MEETING HOUSE AT DORCHESTER 




White Meeting House, Dorchester. 

The ''White Meeting House,"^^ the place of 
worship of the original Congregationalist group of 
settlers, who came from Dorchester, Massachusetts, 
to bring the Gospel into Carolina (the ''only Gos- 
pel" known to them was of the Puritan brand — 
they ignored the other kinds which had, years be- 
fore, been established in the Province), was located 
on the public road about the center of the Dorches- 
ter Township, but about two miles from the vil- 
lage. The first building is said to have been of 
wood, which was replaced by a brick structure, 
erected on the same site in 1700. The removal of 
practically the entire congregation to Georgia in 



30Is on the Charleston-Orangeburg Road, about two 
miles from the old town of Dorchester. 

36 



1752-56 caused the discontinuance of services. The 
celebrated VVhitefield, in 1744, preached in the 
Church to an overflowing congregation. The Brit- 
ish are charged with burning the interior, but the 
walls were left standing. In 1794 the Church was 
reorganized and the edifice repaired. But what a 
change! Not a single descendant (unless of the 
female line) of the members of the original congre- 
gation formed one of the new society. Services 
for many years were held intermittently until 
finally the Society was consolidated with its off- 
spring, the Presbyterian Church of Summerville. 



A ST. CECILIA CONCERT IN OLDEN DAYS 

Mr. Quincy, of Boston, visited Charlestown in 
1773, and in his journal, says of a St. Cecilia Con- 
cert, — in its original formation this Society was 
musical. Mr. David Deas had, he says, given him 
a ticket, on presenting which he was passed from 
servant to servant, and finally ushered in. The 
music was grand, especially the bass viol and 
French horns. The first violinist, a Frenchman, 
played the best solo he had ever heard. Most of 
the performers were gentlemen amateurs. Hie 
comments on the richness of dress of both ladies 
and gentlemen; there were two hundred fifty ladies 
present, and it was called no great number. *'The 
ladies are in taciturnity, during the perfonnance 
greatly before our (Boston) ladies: in noise and 
flirtation after the music is over, pretty much on 
a par. If our (Boston) ladies," says he, *'have 

37 



any advantage it is in white and red, vivacity and 
spirit. The gentlemen were many of them dressed 
with elegance and richness uncommon with us — 
many with swords on." 



LOVE FINDS OUT THE WAY 

About 1765, Miss Golightly, the daughter of an 
English family now extinct in Carolina, was quite 
a belle. The following is one of the romantic 
stories that used to be told, as an instance of how, 
even in that formal age, "Love would find out the 
way." Her family was averse to the man of her 
heart, Mr. Huger ; why, it was not clear, for though 
not a rich man, was of high position and lofty char- 
acter. So, Miss Golightly, one night at a ball, 
picked up a straw hat which chanced to be lying 
on a bench, and with no more preparation stepped 
out of the long window into the garden and ran 
away to be married. The adventurous bride did 
not live long, but died, leaving one son. A lovely 
picture of her, with the straw hat hanging from 
her arm, is still in the possession of her descend- 
ants. Her husband married again, and it was at 
his plantation, at the mouth of the Santee, that 
Lafayette landed on his first coming to America. 
His son. Colonel Francis Kinloch Huger, after- 
wards risked life and imprisonment to rescue his 
friend Lafayette from the dungeons of Olmutz. 



38 



COINCIDENCES AND CONTRADICTIONS 

The people of South Carolina, without any orig- 
inal design on their part, were, step by step, drawn 
into revolution and war, which involved them in 
every species of difficulty and finally dissevered 
them from the mother country. The coincidences 
and contradictions of the period were remarkable. 
It so happened that while on the 28th June, 1776, 
John Rutledge, President of South Carolina, was 
defying the combined army and navy of the King 
in Charlestown harbor, his brother, Edward Rut- 
ledge, at the head of the delegation in the General 
Congress, was hesitating to commit South Carolina 
to a declaration of independence. Yet John Rut- 
ledge, but a short time before, had been for a recon- 
ciliation with the Crown, while Edward was in 
favor of extreme measures. At the moment when 
Thomas Jefferson rose in Congress and presented 
his draft of the Declaration of Independence, Sir 
Peter Parker was pouring his broadside into Fort 
Moultrie. And while Edward Rutledge was sign- 
ing the Declaration, John Rutledge was addressing 
the garrison at Fort Moultrie, thanking them for 
their gallant conduct! 



HOW COLONEL MAHAM ACCEPTED SERVICE 

OF A WRIT, AND HOW HE FOUGHT 

A BEDPOST 

Col. Hezekiah Maham won a golden reputa- 
tion as a soldier, but appears to have had rather 
crude notions of his duty as a citizen. He un- 

39 



fortunately managed his financial affairs loosely, 
and became indebted to a creditor, who finally be- 
came very importunate. One morning, just as the 
Colonel was about to sit down to breakfast, a 
stranger was announced. He went out, his gen- 
erous heart filled with good will and hospitable 
intentions, when the stranger, an oflficer of the 
Court, served on him a legal writ. The Colonel 
took it gingerly, and read it. His astonishment 
was only exceeded by his indignation. The thought 
could not be borne that he, who had periled life and 
fortune for his country's liberties, should be thus 
bearded in his home^^, his castle, and threatened 
with a loss of his own. His anger rose and he 
determined to revenge the insult by making a 
victim of the innocent instrument of his creditor. 
He returned the parchment to the officer. He 
sternly and decisively ordered him, and the 
Colonel's orders were not often disobeyed, to in- 
stantly swallow it. But when, the dry meal was 
fairly engulphed, he brought the of^cer into the 
house and gave him some good liquor to wash it 
down. 

The Colonel, alas! discovered like too many 
others who had borne the burden and heat of the 
day, during the war, that the day of military rule 
had passed and that the civil powxr was in control. 
He learned that zmts were not to be served up as 
a morning's meal. He was obliged' to flee the 



24 Col. Maham's plantation, near Pineville, Berkeley Co. 

40 



country and remain in exile until the difficulty was 
removed by the intervention of his friends. 

During the war he was passing a night at the 
house of a gentleman, living in great comfort. He 
had partaken of a good hot supper and soon there- 
after went to bed. On retiring he placed his 
sword within reach of his bed and hung his clothes 
on the bed post at the foot, his cap on top. Dur- 
ing the night. Col. Maham startled from his sleep, 
dreaming that he had been attacked. The moon, 
by this time, was shining in the room, giving his 
clothes the appearance of a hostile soldier. Seizing 
his sword, he began cutting furiously at his sup- 
posed enemy. The commotion alarmed the family, 
who ran, with lights, into the chamber and showed 
him what havoc he had been making with his own 
regimentals. 



BATTLE OF FORT MOULTRIE 

The first decisive defeat of the combined British 
navy and army during the Revolutionary War was 
that of their attack on Sullivan's Island, June 28, 
1776. The defence of the Island was as gallant 
as its success was surprising. This defence really 
Composed two distinct engagements; that which' 
has received all the credit and glory, the defeat 
of the naval attack on Fort Sullivan (now Fort 
Moultrie) and the equally important and brave de- 
fence of the east end of the island against the Brit- 
ish attack by land forces, but of which so little has 
ever been said. Let equal justice be given to each. 

41 



The Battle of Fort Sullivan^i 

Early in 1776 the construction of Fort Sullivan 
(after the battle named Fort Moultrie, in honor of 
the hero who commanded the garrison) was com- 
menced. Its plan was a square, with a bastion at 
each angle. Whole logs of palmetto were laid one 
upon the other in two parallel rows, sixteen feet 
apart, bound together by pieces of timber, dove- 
tailed and bolted to the logs, with the space be- 
tween filled with sand. The merlons were walled 
entirely by palmetto logs, strongly secured to each 
other and ran up ten feet above the platform. The 
fort was not completed when the battle opened, 
the sea faces only Avere ready. The armament 
consisted of thirty-one guns, only twenty-five of 
which could bear upon the fleet. The guns ranged 
in size from twenty-six (26) pounders (French) 
down to nine (9) pounders. The British attack- 
ing fleet consisted of seven ships carrying two hun- 
dred thirty-two guns and a bomb ship. The garri- 
son of the fort was the 2nd Regiment of South 
Carolina Infantry, four hundred thirteen (413) 
rank and file, and twenty-nine (29) men of the 
South Carolina Artillery Regiment. 

After an all day bombardment, which did but 
small damage to the fort or its garrison, the Brit- 
ish fleet withdrew, did not renew the attack, and 
subsequently sailed northward, having left one ship, 
destroyed in the battle, in Charlestown harbor. 



siOn site of the present Fort, Station No. 13, Sullivan's 
Island. 

42 



The old palmetto fort was on the exact site of 
the present Fort Moultrie. Some of the old pal- 
metto logs are buried under the breastworks of 
the present fort. 

The next time under Prevost in 1779 the British 
attacked Charlestown, profiting by the experience 
of 1776, the fleet did not stop to engage Fort Moul- 
trie, but sailed past, with little or no damage, and 
anchored in the harbor beyond range of the guns 
of the fort or those at any other point of the 
shores of the harbor. The co-operating land 
forces moved via James Island and across the Ash- 
ley River, and not by way of Long Island, as in 
1776. 

On the 30th June, in the afternoon. General 
Charles Lee, commanding the Southern Depart- 
ment, and staflf, reviewed the garrison at Fort Moul- 
trie and thanked them for their heroic defence, and 
on the 4th of July President Rutledge visited the 
garrison and taking his own sword from his side 
presented it to Sergeant Jasper as a memorial of his 
bravery and an incitement to further deeds of valor. 

Excluding Lexington, which ushered in the war, 
and Yorktown, which ended it, the battle of Fort 
Moultrie must rank with the three most complete 
and decisive American victories of the Revolution. 
It was the first absolute victory, the next was Sara- 
toga, and the third was King's Mountain, two be- 
ing in the State of South Carolina. 



43 



Defence of the East End of Sullivan's Island^^ 

The British landed about three thousand men 
on Long Island^*, under command of General Sir 
Henry Clinton. They at once made preparations 
for crossing to Sullivan's Island, from which it 
was separated by an inlef^^, which was said to be 
only eighteen inches deep at low water, and erected 
two earthworks to cover the movement. They had 
an armed schooner, some floating batteries, and a 
number of boats. To meet this, Col. William 
Thompson, with about seven hundred thirty men, 
was stationed on the sand hills at the east end of 
Sullivan's Island. This position, to put it mildly, 
was very uncomfortable, and far from safe. The 
only avenue of escape from the island, in case of 
disaster, was a bridge near Fort Sullivan, which 
the Americans could hardly have reached, if de- 
feated by the superior force in their front, and 
must have been captured. The same result would 
have ensued if the fort had been taken by the Brit- 
ish. So the very precariousness of the position 
gave added glory to the magnificent defence the 
Americans made. The Americans threw up some 
breastworks and mounted two pieces of artillery. 
On the morning of June 28, 1776, some firing took 
place from the batteries on either side. About 
noon the British Light Infantry, Grenadiers and the 



32Sullivan's Island, near railway crossing of Breach Inlet, 

Station No. 29. 
34Long Island is now known as the Isle of Palms. 
33Breach Inlet, between Sullivan's Island and Isle of 

Palms. 

44 



15th Regiment embarked in the boats. The armed 
schooner and floating batteries were placed in posi- 
tion to cover the landing. But they did not and 
could not approach the shores. Thomson's riflemen 
were too good marksmen and it was soon evident 
that the force would be decimated before even a sin- 
gle boat could be landed. The British were forced 
to abandon the attempt, having been effectually pre- 
vented by the brave and determined stand of the 
force under Col. Thomson. This saved the fort from 
capture on the land side. The defeat of Col. Thom- 
son's force and the capture of fort would have 
led to the British capture of Charlestown. Equal 
credit, therefore, must be given to the defenders 
of Fort Sullivan and to Col. Thomson's force at 
the east end of Sullivan's Island. 



SERGEANT JASPER REPLACES THE FLAG 
ON FORT MOULTRIE 

An incident of the Battle of Fort Moultrie^ ^ 
was the gallantry displayed by Sergeant Jasper. 
When the fire of the enemy was at its hottest, the 
flag-staff was struck. It tottered and fell, with 
the crescent flag, and lay on the beach in front of 
the fort. Sergeant Jasper of Marion's Company 
cried out, ''Don't let us fight without a flag," and 
leapt from the parapet at the southwest angle, to 
the beach. He passed along the entire front of 
the fort, recovered the flag, attached it to a sponge 



31 Fort Moultrie, Sullivan's Island, present fort on site 
of old, Station No. 13. 

45 



staff, remounted the parapet and deliberately fixed 
it in position on the southeast bastion. This heroic 




Sergeant Jasper Replacing Flag During Battle of 
Fort Moultrie. 

act inspired the men of the fort to the renewed and 
persistent efforts which crowned them with victory. 
A commission was offered Sergt. Jasper by Presi- 
dent^^ Rutledge, but with a modesty equal to his 

30South Carolina was the only State of the Union which 
had a "President," the title of its chief executive, 
This title was changed to "Governor" near the close 
of the Revolution. 

46 



good sense, he declined, saying that his lack of edu- 
cation unfitted him for a higher position than that 
which he held, and that it would only render him 
ridiculous, in the eyes of his comrades, to accept. 



THE FIRST CHURCH ESTABLISHED IN THE COLONY 

St. Philip's Church was the first establishment 
of the Church of England in the Province of Caro- 
lina. 

In the original plan of Charles Town a lot was 
set apart for a church, and upon this lot, at the 
southeast corner of Broad and Meeting Streets, 
the site of the present St. Michael's, the first 
Church was built in 1681-82. It was usually 
called the English Church, but its distinctive name 
was St. Philip's. In March 17 10- 11, an Act of 
Assembly was passed for the building of a new 
Church of brick. This second Church was built 
on the site occupied by the present one on the east 
side of Church Street^^, a short distance above 
Queen. It was first opened for divine service in 
1723, but was not entirely finished until 1727. It 
was a very elegant and imposing building, regarded 
as one of the finest church edifices in America at 
the time, and continued for the upwards of a hun- 
dred years the pride and admiration of all who were 
connected with it. In historic value probably no 
building in the South compared with this old 
Church. 



25Nos. 144-46 Church Street, between Queen and Cum- 
berland Streets. 

47 



On Sunday morning, February 15, 1835, a fire 
broke out in some buildings to the north of the 
Church, and, the wind blowing strongly from that 
direction, sparks were lodged in the woodwork of 
the steeple, which soon caught fire, and in a very 
short time the whole building was so enveloped in 
the flames that all the efforts of the citizens, who 
flocked to the scene, were unavailing, and it was 
completely destroyed. Preparations were imme- 
diately made to rebuild, and on the 12th November 
of the same year the corner stone of the present 
Church was laid, with appropriate ceremonies, on 
the same site. 

The following description of the interior of old 
St. Philip's, which church building was commenced 
171 1, first used 1723, and completed 1733, and 
destroyed by fire 1835, is taken from Mill's Statis- 
tics of South Carolina, pp. 404-05. 

*The interior of this Church in its whole length, 
presents an elevation of a lofty double arcade, sup- 
porting upon an entablature a vaulted ceiling in the 
middle. The piers are ornamented with fluted 
Corinthian pilasters rising to the arches, the key 
stone of these arches are sculptured with a cheru- 
bim in relief; over the centre arch, on the south 
side, are some figures in heraldic form, represent- 
ing the infant colony imploring the protection of 
the King. Beneath the figures is this inscription : 
Tropins res aspice nostras' (which has been adopt- 
ed as the motto of the seal of the Church). Over 
the middle arch, on the north side, is this inscrip- 
tion : *Deus mihi Sol,* with armorial bearings. The 

48 




'■''if V / '^ -^ y 



7/f//, 



EXTERIOR OF OLD ST. PHILIP'S CHURCH, 

I'.uilt 1723, burned 18X5. Copy of engraving in the Gentleman's Magazine 

and Historical Clironic-le, published, London 1753. 



pillars are now ornamented on their face with 
beautiful pieces of monumental sculpture, some of 
them with bas-relief, and some with full figures, 
finely executed by the first artists in England and 
this country. 

At the end of the nave is the chancel (within 
the body however of the Church) and at the West 
end is the organ, which is an ancient piece of furni- 
ture imported from England, and which had been 
used at the coronation of George, the Second. 

The galleries were added sometime subsequent 
to the building of the Church. * * * * 

When you enter under its roof, the lofty arches, 
porticoes, arcades and pillars which support it, 
cast a sombre shade over the whole interior and 
induce the mind to serious contemplation and reli- 
gious reverence. In every direction the monu- 
ments of departed worth and excellence gleam upon 
the sight." 



CAPTURE OF BRITISH GALLEY BY 
CAPTAIN RUDOLPH 

A British Galley was stationed high up the 
Ashley River, and obstructed the Patriots' move- 
ments on either bank of the river. General 
Greene wished it destroyed, and Captain Rudolph 
of the infantry of Lee's Legion, was directed to 
devise a plan for its seizure. Early in March, 
1782, Capt. Rudolph matured his plan. It was 
founded on the facility, he had discovered, with 
w^hich boats going to market in Charlestown, with 

49 



provisions, were allowed to pass the galley. The 
Captain proposed to place in one of these boats an 
adequate force. He disguised himself as a farmer, 
and some of his soldiers as negroes. Under the 
truck for market he concealed his armed men. 
Lieut. Smith, of the Virginia Line, joined the ex- 
pedition and prepared his boat similarly. On the 
night of March i8th, between three and four o'clock 
in the morning, Capt. Rudolph got near the galley, 
and was halted by the sentinel. He answered in 
negro dialect that it was a market boat and asked 
permission to pass. He was ordered alongside, as 
the captain of the galley wished to purchase some 
provisions. Rudolph obeyed, drew up to the gal- 
ley, threw some provisions on board, and made fast 
to the galley. At a signal, the soldiers rose, 
boarded and captured the galley. Some of the men 
escaped by jumping overboard, some were killed, 
but the captain and twenty-eight soldiers were cap- 
tured. The galley mounted twelve guns, besides 
swivels, and was manned by forty-three seamen. 
Rudolph did not lose a man. After taking out 
such stores as he found, he burned the galley and 
returned to shore. 

The novelty of this successful enterprise created 
much despondency in the British garrison in 
Charlestown and depressed the spirits of the sol- 
diers. 



50 



SILVER OP BISHOP SMITH AND OF THE CHURCH 

SAVED 

Bishop Smith had a plantation, his home, on 
the Cooper River^^. When the British were ap- 
proaching, the overseer, an Irishman named Mau- 
der, whom the Bishop had previously befriended, 
concealed all the silver and other valuable articles. 
When the British, under a quartermaster, Sergeant 
Jack, took possession, seeing no silver, they suspect- 
ed that it had been hid. They arrested Mauder, 
threatening to hang him if he did not disclose its 
hiding place. This he refused to do, and they 
suspended him from the limb of a tree. On being 
lowered, he declined to confess. Again and again 
it was repeated, and still he most finnly declined. 
At last, finding him inexorable, steadfast and im- 
movable, Jack concluded that he was either inno- 
cent or very faithful, too good in either case to be 
hung like a dog. He was therefore released. The 
sacramental plate had been entrusted to Mauder 
with the Bishop's personal silver. He had buried 
both under the very tree from which the British 
had hung him. After the war he confessed, with 
great candor, that he would have given up the 
Bishop's silver, knowing that the Lord would for- 
give him, but as the plate of the Church was mixed 
with it, he would have been guilty of sacrilege to 
have given that up. 



35Brabant, the Bishop's place, was on the eastern branch 
of the Cooper River, near French Quarter Creek. 

61 



MARION'S MEN NOT IN THE TRIUMPHAL PARADE 

When the British evacuated Charleston near the 
end of 1782, at the close of the war, the American 
troops made a grand triumphal entry into the City. 
The great blot upon this most happy event was 
that Marion's Partisan Rangers were exclu-led 
from the parade. It was alleged that they w?re 
too rough, irregular and dirty. It was a shame 
upon the officer in charge. Marion's men had kept 
alive the struggle in Carolina when all hope was 
dead. To their swords was largely due the liberty 
being celebrated. Instead of being excluded, they 
should have led the patriot column, and been given 
the greatest honor. History, however, righted the 
wrong, and Marion's men, in rags, stand on its 
glowing pages, far higher than the well-dressed 
troops who triumphantly entered Charleston in 
1782. 



REBECCA MOTTE GIVES ARROWS 
TO BURN HER HOME 

Mrs. Rebecca Motte owned a plantation and 
country home on the Congaree, about fifty miles 
below the present site of Columbia^^. The residence 
stood upon an eminence on the direct road from 
Charleston to Camden. The British took posses- 
sion of the house, established there a post, and ran 
a line of fortifications around the house. It was 
known as Fort Motte. Mrs. Motte, forced out of 



36Near present Southern Railway station Fort Motte. 

52 



her home, occupied a small house on the plantation. 
The Patriots, under Marion and Lee, laid seige to 
the fort. The advance of British reinforcements 
necessitated a prompt reduction of the fort. Mar- 
ion decided that if he could burn the house, it 
would force the enemy out. When advised of 
this, Mrs. Motte not only consented and urged the 
firing of her home, but furnished the means of so 
doing. She had some East Indian arrows, which 
would ignite on percussion. These she gave the 
Patriots. They fired them from rifles, and soon 
the roof of the house was in flames. The British 
surrendered. The Patriots and British, together, 
put out the fire, only the roof of the house being 
consumed. More singular is it that the officers of 
both parties dined together that evening with Mrs. 
Motte, who received all with equal courtesy. This 
noble act of Rebecca Motte, the sacrifice of her 
home, was sublime, and in perfect accord with her 
high character and the previous devoted services 
she had rendered to the cause of liberty. 



THOMAS CORDES' LIFE SAVED BY SMOKING 
HIS PIPE 

At the Tavern Bridge^^ on the road leading to 
Murray's Ferry on the Santee, a few miles from 
his home, Yahan, Thomas Cordes was taken by 
the British, for reporting their movements to the 
American army. He was just about to be hung, 

37Tavern Bridgre is two miles from Pineville, on the Mur- 
ray Ferry Road. 

53 



when he requested the privilege of smoking his 
pipe, which was granted. Just then a messenger 
arrived with a reprieve from Cornwallis, who was 
then encamped at Li f eland Plantation, near the 
Santee. 



GENERAL WILLIAM MOULTRIE 

William Moultrie was appointed in 1775 
Colonel of the 2nd Regiment South Carolina In- 
fantry. January 2, 1776; he with his command 
was sent to Sullivan's Island to build a fort^^ for 
the protection of the City. This work and the de- 
fence thereof was so splendid as to win for him 
and his command, undying reputation. He rose 
during the war to be a Major-General. After the 
war he was twice Governor of his State. He died 
in Charlestown, and was buried at his plantation in 
St. James, Goose Creek^. In disposition he was 
easy tempered, but he was firm and determined 
when necessary. These qualities, with his un- 
flinching courage, unspotted integrity, and his 
sense of honor, marked him as one of the great 
men of his day. 

The following incident is characteristic: One 
Sunday on his way to St. Philip's Church, he met 
a gentleman with whom he had some cause of 
quarrel. They both preferred to adjust it at once, 



3iHe built Fort Sullivan, which after the battle was 
named in his honor, Fort Moultrie, on the site of 
the present fort, Station No. 13, Sullivan's Island. 

^Windsor, adjoining Woodstock, Southern Railway. 

54 



so going round to an alley'* ^ in rear of the Church, 
they drew swords and engaged. General Moultrie 
succeeded in running his antagonist through the 
arm, upon which, saluting him, he sheathed his 
sword, and went on to Church. Barbarians, by 
modern standards, but, apart from its moral or 
religious aspect, far more decent than a fisticuff, 
which now so often takes the place of the old gen- 
tlemanly custom. 



SAMUEL BACOT AN ADEPT AT ESCAPING 

Samuel Bacot_, who lived on Black Creek, not 
far from Darlington, was one of the many suf- 
ferers from the devastation of the Tories. On one 
occasion a party of Tories was seen approaching 
his home. He seized a well-charged musket and 
while the marauders were dismounting, he was able 
to escape and hide in a thick covert in rear of his 
dwelling. The Tories entered the house and were 
about making search when the loud report of a 
musket and the clatter of shot against the walls 
confirmed their impression of a surprise. A panic 
followed and the cowardly wretches ran for their 
lives, leaving their horses behind them. 

On another occasion he was taken as a prisoner 
to Camden and thence sent with thirty others to- 
wards Charlestown. As he plodded along he 
turned over in his mind some plan of escape. The 
party stopped for the night at a deserted log house. 



4iPhiladelphia Alley, back of St. Philip's Church, be- 
tween Cumberland and Queen Streets. 

55 



The guard stacked arms in front and occupied the 
front room, placing the prisoners in the back room. 
This gave them the chance for conference, and 
they agreed to strike for liberty, when Bacot gave 
the signal or watchword, *' Saturday night." About 
midnight Bacot opened the door connecting the 
two rooms and asked for a drink of brandy. He 
saw th^t the moment for action had come. He 
raised the glass and gave, "Here is success to Sat- 
urday night," and dashed the liquor in the officer's 
face. As the words were uttered he and his com- 
rades rushed upon the guards, seized their arms 
and overpowered them. The captives, once more 
at liberty, lost no time in finding their way home- 
ward. 



THE FIRST FREE PUBLIC LIBRARY IN AMERICA 

The establishment of libraries, encouraged by 
Legislative Acts and private donations, are cer- 
tainly evidences that education was not neglected 
in the early days of the Province of South Caro- 
lina. "The idea of a free public library could 
hardly find acceptance," it has been observed, "un- 
til the idea of free public education had become 
familiar to men's minds, and the libraries existing 
at the time of the Revolution were necessarily rep- 
resentative of the existence of public opinion on 
the subject of culture." The Colonists of South 
Carolina, had become familiar with the ideas alike 
of free public education and a free public library 
even before the overthrow of the Proprietary Gov- 

56 



eminent. Their efforts as to free education were, 
no doubt, limited, but in each parish there were 
pupils who were taught free. There can be little 
doubt that the first library in America to be sup- 
ported, in any degree, at the public expense was 
that at Charlestown in 1698. The library which 
the Rev. Dr. Bray established was the first, if not 
the only one, to receive support from the public 
treasury. October 8, 1698, the Commons ordered 
that letters be addressed to the Lord Bishop of 
London and to Dr. Thomas Bray for their "laying 
the foundation of a good and public library." On 
the 19th of November, 1698, the Commons further 
order payment for certain books bought for a pub- 
lic library. This library was supported by the 
Lords Proprietors and by the Assembly, and was 
governed by Commissioners appointed by the Legis- 
lature. It was in operation in 1712 under the Acts 
of 1700 and 1 712, which are the earliest library 
lazi's in America. 

This library must not be confused with the 
Charlestown Library Society, which was founded in 
1748, an account of which is found in another part 
of this book, and more in detail in McCrady's 
''South Carolina under the Royal Government." 



ART IN THE EARLY DAYS OF CAROLINA 

The following as to art in the early days of 
Carolina is condensed from the valued article by 
Rev. Robert Wilson, D. D., in the Charleston 

57 



Year Book, 1899. It is much regretted that space 
does not allow the article to be given in full. 

There is abundant evidence that the inhabitants 
of Charles Town and its vicinity, not only adorned 
their homes with the products of the pencil and the 
brush, but by their patronage afforded a comfort- 
able living and an honorable position to pro- 
fessional artists, at a very early period of the City's 
existence. The portraits, and especially the min- 
iatures of some of the earliest settlers, show a high 
appreciation of fine artistic work. That there was 
a resident portrait painter in Charlestown as early 
as 1705 is certain, for there is still existing an 
admirable portrait of Sir Nathaniel Johnson, in 
the possession of Mr. Henry L. Barker (in 1899) 
bearing on the background, evidently by the artist's 
hand, "Aetatis 61 April 7th 1705." There was a 
lady artist in the town, who did good work in 
pastel and marked her pictures with the legend, 
^'Henrietta Johnson, Fecit." She died in 1728. 

The next evidence that we find of the prevalence 
of artistic taste is the following advertisement in 
the South Carolina Gazette, 1735: **This is to 
give notice to all gentlemen and others, that Por- 
trait painting and engraving, Heraldry and House 
Painting are undertaken and performed expedi- 
tiously in a good manner and at the lowest rate 
by B. Roberts," The Gazette of August 30, 1740. 
contains the following: "Jeremiah Theus, Limner, 
gives notice that he is removed into Market Square, 
near Mr. John Laurens, Sadler, where all gentle- 
men and ladies may have their pictures drawn. 

58 



likewise Landscapes of all sizes, Crests and Coats 
of Arms for coaches or chaises. Likewise for 
the convenience of those who live in the country 
he is willing to wait on them at their respective 
Plantations." This gentleman, owing to a resi- 
dence of nearly forty years, impressed the com- 
munity with the influence of his talents and high 
personal character. He was the undoubted pioneer 
of legitimate art in South Carolina. His portraits 
came to be in great vogue, and there were few 
families of note and position which were not rep- 
resented on his canvas. 

Thomas Coram, coming to Charleston in 1769, 
was a skilled artist. One of his paintings, "Christ 
Blessing Little Children," now adorns the chapel of 
the Charleston Orphan House^^. (See article on 
the marriage of Mad Archie Campbell.) 

Dr. Wilson, in his most valuable article in the 
Year Book, from which is selected the above facts, 
has rescued from oblivion the names and works 
of Provincial artists who well deserve to be remem- 
bered. He has shown that from the very begin- 
ning of its history the people of lower Carolina 
cherished and patronized art and artists with a cul- 
tured refinement of taste that was scarcely less 
marked than that which, in the next century, char- 
acterized the patrons of Peale, of Malbone, of Alls- 
ton, of Sully, and of the many others whose names 
have been household words. 



3«Painting of Thos. Coram, in Chapel of Charleston Or- 
phan House, on Vanderhorst Street, near St. Philip, 
south side. 

i9 



THE FIRST CELEBRATION OF ''CAROLINA DAY»», 
JUNE 28th 

The following order of Col. Marion is for the 
first celebration of the victory at Fort Moultrie, 
which celebrations have been continued down to the 
present day. In commemoration of the battle, the 
State of South Carolina in recent years made the 
28th June a legal holiday, as ''Carolina Day." 

''Regimental Orders of Lt. Col. Marion, June 
27th, 1777. Commanding Officers of companies 
to apply to the quarter master for their men's coats 
this afternoon, in proportion to the number of men 
in each company and tomorrow to supply their 
men with leggings; all who had a pair for last 
year to give Col. Marion their names. * * * a 
number of ladies in the Town have been so kind 
as to order a genteel dinner to be given the soldiers 
tomorrow in memory of their good behavior the 
28th June last year, at Fort Moultrie and the offi- 
cers of the Regiment, present them with a hogs- 
head of claret and three barrels of beer. Col. Mar- 
ion hopes the men will behave with sobriety and 
decency to these ladies who have been so kind as 
to give them so genteel a treat; for soldiers being 
seen on the street drunk or riotous will be a scan- 
dal to the regiment and prevent any further notice 
being taken of them. He hopes they will keep 
in barracks and not a man go into town that day; 
and should any . man be overtaken in liquor, the 
Sergeants and Corporals will have them put quietly 
in their barracks, for which reason the Colonel in- 

60 



sists that every Sergeant and Corporal will stay in 
the barrack yard, that they may take care of the 
men of their company. The Sergeant Major in 
particular is to stay in the barrack yard and keep 
good order amongst the men. 

''General Moultrie will be on the parade tomor- 
row morning and it is expected the men will take 
care to be very clean in respect to him." 



THE OLD FORT AT DORCHESTER 

The fort at old Dor- 
lester^^ which faced the 
.rish Church, stood upon 
the rise or bluff, on 
the banks of 
the Ashley 
River, in a po- 
sition to com- 
mand the bridge 
across the river, 
the approaches to 
it and the town 
itself. It is the 
most perfect ex- 
ample remaining 
in the State of a 
fort of that period. It 
is made of "tapia," 
more commonly called 
'tabby," which was composed of oyster shells em- 




'^s n 



Aver 

Plan of Dorchester Fort. 



3»On site of old town of Dorchester, near the river. 

61 



bedded in a composition of burnt shell lime, which 
grows stronger the older it is. The exact date 
of its construction is unknown. Tabby was used 
for such purposes from the earliest days up to 
1812. There is a tradition that the fort was co- 
eval with the foundation of the town, used as a 
protection from Indian attacks. This is so plaus- 
ible as to secure general belief, but it is not sup- 
ported by any evidence, and all the attainable evi- 
dence points to its construction at the commence- 
ment of the Revolutionary War. Neither on the 
plan of the town as originally laid out in 1697, 
nor on the map of 1732, was the fort set down, 
although the site of the parish church, constructed 
in 1 719, is mentioned on the latter. 

In 1775 the Council of Safety of the Province 
directed Dorchester to be fortified. In December, 
1775, they directed Fort Lyttleton, near Beaufort, 
to be repaired with ''tappy," which showed that 
at the time the Council was fortifying Dorchester, 
they ordered used on another fort, the ''tappy," 
which was the same used for the Dorchester fort. 
Hence, it is probable that the tappy was used at 
that time for the Dorchester fort. Commissioners 
of fortifications for Dorchester were appointed, 
and in December, 1775, urgency was recommended 
to them in the erection of barracks, a guardroom 
and a place of confinement for prisoners. The ap- 
pearance of the ruins of the walls rather indicate 
that it was intended for this purpose, and not 
for a fort, as usually constructed. In February, 

62 



1776, military stores were placed in the fort which 
had been constructed by the commissioners. 

Therefore, we rather incline, from the scant 
evidence obtainable, to believe that the ruins now 
standing on the site of old Dorchester, were those 
of a fort, or perhaps barracks, built not earlier 
than 1775. 



FIRST PRESBYTERIAN (SCOTCH) CHURCH, 
CHARLESTOWN 

In the year 1731 the strict Presbyterians among 
the congregation of the Independent Church left 
it and established a church for themselves after 
the form of the Church of Scotland*^. They were 
incorporated in 1784. They erected a church on 
the lot at the corner of Meeting and Tradd Streets, 
which was replaced by the present massive struc- 
ture. The interior of this Church was remodeled 
after the earthquake of 1886, and the contrast be- 
tween the stern, almost rugged exterior, and the 
highly finished, comfortable interior, is striking. 
In the Church and its adjoining cemetery may be 
seen the monuments of its founders and the names 
of some of the best known families of the com- 
munity. 

On its walls are many historic and valued tablets. 
Among these, on the eastern wall to the right of 
main doorway is one in honor of Lady Anne Mur- 
ray, which is surmounted by the coat of arms of 



43Church building at the southwest corner of Tradd and 
Meeting Streets. 

63 



the Cromarty family, and is one of the most artistic 
pieces of workmanship in this country, and there is 
no other tablet like it in America. The inscription 
is neatly executed on wood, and is surrounded by 
an elaborately carved oaken frame. It was visited 
by the Marquis of Lome and the Princess Louise, 
Queen Victoria's daughter, in 1883, and by the 
Duke of Sutherland, a relative of Lady Anne Mur- 
ray, in 1886. 

The inscription thereon is: 

In this Cemetery lie the Remains 

of 

The Right Honourable 

Lady Anne Murray 

Third Daughter 

of George, Earl of Cromarty, 

A young noblewoman as 

conspicuous for Piety & Virtue 

as she was for 

High Birth & illustrious descent — 

She died the 17th of January 1768 

much lamented. 

Near her lies the body of Geo. 

Murray, Esqr., deputy Secretary 

of So. Carolina, A Gentleman of 

rigid honesty and inflexible 

integrity; who died on the 

24th of September 1772 

64 




TABLET TO THE MEMORY OF LADY ANNE MURRAY. 
In Scotch Presbyterian Church. 



DORCHESTER AS IT ONCE WAS 

The old Town of Dorchester^^ was situated at 
the head of navigation on the east bank of the 
Ashley River. It is about twenty-six miles from 
Charleston, and about five miles southwest of Sum- 
merville. Only the ruins of the parish church and 
of the fort, mark the spot where a flourishing 
town once stood. The history of the town begins 
with the immigration thereto, from the town of 
the same name in the Province of Massachusetts 
Bay, arriving at Charlestown December 20, 1695, 
of the Rev. Joseph Lord and a company who came 
to Carolina, "To set up the ordinances of Jesus 
Christ ther, if the Lord conveyed them safely 
thither, according to gospell truth withe a very 
large profession of ther faithe." 

The settlers took up, altogether, four thousand 
and fifty (4,050) acres of land. They divided 
this up among them into farm lands and lots in 
the "trading town," the village of Dorchester. In 
the neighborhood were a number of settlers and 
the very site of the town was an old field. The 
country around the town filled up and the town 
itself became a trading place and point of distribu- 
tion. It stood in a position easy of defence and 
of ready communication with Charlestown, and 
thus became the refuge from Indian invasions. 
One of these invasions was met by a Capt. Chicken, 



39Five miles from Summ.erville, on the Charleston- 
Orangeburg Road, and about twenty-six miles from 
Charleston. < 

65 



at the head of the Goose Creek miHtia, and defeat- 
ed the Indians at a place called the Ponds, 

The whole four thousand and fifty (4,050) acres 
was the township, but only the four acres near the 
river was the town proper. At its most flourish- 
ing period it contained a population of about one 
thousand eight hundred (1,800) souls. Its de- 
cadence commenced in 1752-56 when a large ex- 
odus took place, principally of the Congregational- 
ists, to Liberty County, Georgia. At the outbreak 
of the Revolution, although still a mere village, it 
was, next to Charlestown and Georgetown, the 
largest town in the Colony. During the Revolu- 
tion it was garrisoned, at first by State troops un- 
der General Moultrie, and after the capture of 
Charlestown in 1780 was held as a British post 
until December, 1781, when a force under Col. 
Wade Hampton attacked and forced the withdrawal 
of the British, and it passed finally under the con- 
trol of the American troops. 



THE TRUE BIRTHPLACE OF GENERAL MARION 

It has been disputed by many persons as to the 
birthplace of General Marion, but Mr. Philip E. 
Porcher has been told by his grand uncle, Francis 
Cordes, that he knew positively that Marion was 
born at Goatfield plantation*^, opposite Chachan 
gate not far from Cordesville. When he was a 
boy he often visited him at his camp near Wadboo 



40Goatfield Plantation was opposite "Chachan Gate," not 
far from Cordesville. 

66 



Bridge. He is buried at Belle Isle, St. Stephen's 
Parish. 

Mr. Philip E. Porcher, of Porcher's Bluff, 
Christ Church, about eight miles from Mt. Pleasant, 
is eighty-eight (88)^ years of age, and his knowing 
a living witness as to Gen. Marion's birthplace pro- 
duces a living line of evidence of the truth. 



PATHETIC MEETING OF EXILES 

An exchange of the American prisoners at St. 
Augustine had been arranged, and they had to go 
to Philadelphia to be legally granted their freedom, 
and a party went there in a brig they had char- 
tered. Balfour's cruel edict, banishing from 
Charlestown the families of those who would not 
sully their honor by taking protection, compelled, 
about the same time, the removal of a large num- 
ber, mostly women and children, to Philadelphia. 
The brig from St. Augustine containing nearly one 
hundred and thirty souls, had a prosperous voyage 
and reached the capes on the second of August, 
1 78 1, and with a fair wind continued its course up 
to New Castle. Another brig had been in sight 
all day, pursuing the same course a little behind. 
The two brigs came to anchor in the evening close 
together, when William Johnson, on that from St. 
Augustine, hailed that from Charlestown and was 
answered in the well-known voice of the captain. 
*Tt that you, Downham Newton ?" "Ay ! Is that 
you, William Johnson? We have your family on 

67 



board." Many other manly voices immediately 
inquired each for his own family, and a joyful 
meeting then took place of many dear ones, thus 
providentially brought together. 



BRITISH SUPPLY (NOT WILLINGLY) PATRIOTS 
WITH ARMS AND MUNITION 

The British dispatched, under proper escort, the 
commander being Lieut. Meadows, a train to Cam- 
den. It contained arms, ammunition, and supplies. 
It was proposed to cross the Santee at Nelson's 
Ferry. The Partisan leaders determined to inter- 
cept and capture it. The whole train, with escort 
distributed in front and rear, entered a long, close, 
circuitous defile in a thick forest, near Ravenel's 
plantation on the Santee. The Partisans, with 
sharp shots and wild cries of ''Marion's men! 
Marion's men ! Hurrah !" dashed in on them, front 
and rear. The British made a stubborn resistance, 
but the gallant onrush of the Partisans was too 
much, and every man of the party was either killed, 
wounded, or captured. This valuable train be- 
came the spoil of the Partisans, and from it they 
gathered much needed arms and supplies. The 
Americans had neither factories nor arsenals on 
which they could draw for supplies, and they had 
to rely upon the enemy for the same. From his 
storehouses they armed and equipped themselves. 
As Gen. Banks was said to have been the commis- 
sary to Lee's Confederate army, so the British were 

68 



the quartermasters and ordnance officers of the 
Partisan Rangers. All hail to these efficient offi- 
cers. They were not over strict in their issues, so 
the Partisans were not troubled to give vouchers 
for the supplies received. 



THE HUGUENOT CHURCH IN CHARLESTOWN 

The Huguenot Church in Charlestown was one 
of the four churches founded by the French 
Protestant Refugees, who sought civil and reli- 
gious liberty in Carolina. Originally it was styled 
''L'Eglise Reformee Francaise de Charlestown," 
but was subsequently known as the Huguenot 
Church*^. This Church Society is nearly co-eval 
with the City, and is one of the two oldest in it. 
Charlestown was established on Oyster Point in 
1680 and in 1686 there was a French Protestant 
congregation in the town. This is proved, first, 
by a certificate of admeasurement of the surveyor 
general, dated December 9, 1686, and secondly, by 
the will of Caesar Moze, dated June 20, 1687, be- 
queathing to the Church of Protestant French 
Refugees in Charlestown, £37 for certain purposes. 

Those who are familiar with the religious char- 
acter and habits of the Huguenots are not sur- 
prised, in fact they would have expected nothing 
else, but that they would promptly organize and 
establish their Church where they settled. 



42Church stands at southeast corner of Church and 
Queen Streets. 

69 



The records of the Church were lost in the great 
fire of 1740, so it is not known with certainty 
when and where the first church building was 
erected. The Church Society was certainly in ex- 
istence, as we have seen, in 1686. Tradition, how- 
ever, fixes the location at the corner of Church 
and Queen Streets, and the time of the erection 
of the first building as not later than 1692, prob- 
ably two or three years earlier. Twice the church 
buildings have been destroyed by fire. In 1843 
the present building was erected. 



ST. JAMES' GOOSE CREEK CHURCH 

A MOST interesting spot in the neighborhood of 
Charlestown is the old Church of St. James' Goose 
Creek\ situated in the midst of a beautiful country, 
surrounded by many objects which excite the in- 
terest of the traveler, and connected by many asso- 
ciations with the history of the State in all its 
stages. 

About a mile from the Otranto station, A. C. L., 
across Goosecreek bridge, along a winding road, 
is the church, a handsome, rough-cast brick build- 
ing, a short distance from the creek. It has four 
arched windows and a door on each side, with a 
cherub in stucco, on each keystone; over the west 
door is a pelican feeding her young; at the east 
end is a large window, in front of which is the 
chancel, in which stand the altar, pulpit and read- 

iNear Otranto station, on Atlantic Coast Line, and on 
State Road from Charleston, near Goose Creek. 

70 



ing desk; over this window the royal arms of Eng- 
land still stand in high relief. This is thought to 
have saved the church from British desecration 
during the Revolutionary War. The sides of the 




St. James', Goose Creek, Church. 

altar are ornamented with four Corinthian pilasters 
supporting a cornice, and between them are the 
Tables of the Decalogue, Apostles' Creed, and 
Lord's Prayer. The roof is supported by four 
Doric columns, and on the walls are several marble 
tablets in memory of the early members of the con- 
gregation. Among them one commemorates the 
virtues of the Hon. Ralph Izard, for many years 
one of the leading men of the State and a gentle- 
man of great ability and high culture. 



71 



AN HISTORIC PANE OF GLASS 

The place known as Oakland is in Christ 
Church Parish, and one of the panes of glass in 
the house bore an inscription made with a diamond. 
It was in Hebrew letters, and the translation be- 
neath it was, ''Exalt Jehovah our God," and be- 
neath it the writer's name, Joseph Pilmore, who 
was one of the clergymen sent out by John Wesley, 
before he left the Episcopal Church. The pane of 
glass is now framed, and was hung by President 
Carlisle in the library of Wofford College, Spar- 
tanburg, S. C. 



THE CRUELTY OF *'TARLETON'S QUARTERS" 

'Tarleton's Quarters" became throughout the 
State the synonym of the bloodiest cruelty. The 
following will show how it originated in a bloody 
fact. 

Col. Buford commanded a patrol force of three 
or four hundred infantry and a few horsemen. 
He was attacked at the Waxhaws by Colonel Tarle- 
ton with about seven hundred horse and foot. Col. 
Buford, mistakenly, ordered his men not to fire till 
the enemy were with ten yards. A single dis- 
charge made little impression, and the British were 
soon on the Patriots, cutting them down with their 
sabres. The Americans, finding resistance useless, 
sued for quarters, but their submission produced 
no cessation of hostilities. After they had ceased 
to resist, they were badly mangled, until five out 
of every six of the whole number were, by Tarle- 

72 



ton's official report, either killed or so badly 
wounded as to be incapable of movement from the 
battlefield. Thus 'Tarleton's Quarters" became 
proverbial and was met with retribution from the 
Patriots thereafter. 



PROPOSAL TO UNITE THE STATES OF SOUTH 
CAROLINA AND GEORGIA 

The following brings out the fact, very little 
known, that in the early days of the Revolution, 
South Carolina proposed to Georgia an union of 
the two States. The two States were already in 
union, together, with the other of jthe original 
thirteen States, and his movement could, therefore, 
only have meant an organic union of the two States 
into one commonwealth. 

Letter of William Henry Drayton, Dated Snow Hill, 
June 8, 1777. 

**By our General Assembly, which is a pretty 
numerous body, it was unanimously resolved, that 
an union between the two States would tend effec- 
tually to promote their strength, wealth and dignity 
and to secure their liberty, independence and safety. 
Commissioners were sent to Savannah to treat of 
an union and I was honored by being sent upon 
this business. Immediately after I arrived in Sa- 
vannah I found^ that every gentleman in public 
office, with whom I conversed, was strongly against 
an union. However, I had the pleasure to find 

73 



some gentlemen of fortune, though not in office 
or convention, who heartily approved the measure." 
Being admitted to the Georgia convention, Mr. 
Drayton strongly presented the advantages of the 
proposed union. For full particulars thereof see 
''Gibbs' Documentary History," 1776-82, pp. 77-80. 
*'In the afternoon the Convention delivered me a 
paper containing their objections of the proposed 
union, founded, as I apprehend, upon a reason 
w^hich does not exist in nature. For, they declared, 
they could not treat of an union because of such a 
particular article (v^hich they specify) in, as they 
said, the Confederation of the United States, to 
w^hich they had acceded. A Confederation, sir, 
which I do assure you never existed as a public Act 
of the General Congress, binding upon the States, 
but which, nevertheless, the Conventions were 
taught to receive as a public Act of Congress and 
consider as such. The Convention were certainly 
innocent, but some individual is culpable. I re- 
ceived the paper and in silence quitted the room." 



ST. JOHN'S LUTHERAN CHURCH, CHARLESTOWN 

The Lutherans built a church in Charlestown as 
early as 1759. The St. John's Lutheran Church 
was the place of worship of the oldest German 
congregation. It was incorporated in 1783, and 
the present building^* was completed and dedicated 
January 8, 18 18. The Church Society is composed 



64 Southeast corner of Archdale and Clifford Streets. 

74 



principally of citizens of German extraction, but 
who have become thoroughly Anglicized and keep 
up with their fatherland only the ties of religion. 



FIRST READING OF THE DECLARATION OF 
INDEPENDENCE IN CHARLESTOWN 

Tradition 
gives authority to 
the statement that 
Maj. John Huger, 
of Cooper River, 
was the first per- 
son to read the 
Declaration of In- 
dependence in 
Charlestown. On 
the arrival of this 
important docu- 
ment in the City, 
such was the anx- 
iety of the people 
to hear it, that 
Maj. Huger, hold- 
ing a high public 
station at that 
time, was pre- 
vailed upon to 
read it aloud for 
the information of 
streets. This he 




the assembled multitude in the 

did, mounted on a pump in Church Street 

*4 Church Street, Charleston. 

75 



44 



JAMES CROCKETT AND THE BEAR 

James Crockett (probably the ancestor of the 
celebrated David Crockett) had granted him, in 
1734, a tract of land in the then Craven, now Mar- 
ion County. In those early years he had many 
adventures with Indians and wild beasts. His life 
was full of hair-breadth escapes, all of which he 
put in a book he wrote of his life. He was as 
humorous as he was brave. His dress was made 
of the skins of animals he had killed and his cap 
was made of a coon skin, with the tail hanging 
down his back. One of the stories we give, which 
we have had to condense and rob of the quaint 
humor of his expression. 

Out hunting one day, he found, in a swamp, a 
den of young bears, in a large hollow stump. Lay- 
ing his rifle at the foot of the stump, he climbed 
up to the opening and looking down saw the young 
bears in their bed at the bottom. He climbed in, 
swinging himself feet down, as low as his arms 
would allow, then dropped among the young bears, 
much to their surprise and consternation. They 
set up a terrible screaming, which attracted their 
mother, the old she bear, who came rapidly back, 
got up to the opening, and looked down on the ter- 
rible family confusion. She could only come down 
backwards, which she proceeded to do. Crockett 
was between the devil and the deep sea. His pres- 
ence of mind never forsook him. He drew his 
keen long knife, and as the old bear's hind quarters 
reached him, he slashed at it and continued to do 

76 



so until Mother Bruin thought it wiser to dimb 
up. Crockett grasped her tail and kept cutting 
away, she clambered upwards, impelled by his 
knife, drawing him up with her, until she reached 
the top, when she jumped to the ground and hid 
in the swamp. Crockett followed, reached his 
rifle, and shot her. 



MAHAM'S TOWERS 



CoL. Hezekiah Maham was a colonel of cavalry 
in the American army. He was marked for his in- 
genuity as well as distinguished for his gallantry. 
He devised a plan for reducing fortified places, 
which were without artillery, which was very effec- 
tive. While the method of application and the 
mode of construction was original, the general plan 
was an adaptation of the usages of the Middle 
Ages. Col. Maham's device was the construction 
of a towTr of logs, so high as to overlook the 
breastworks of the fort. This was first tried at 
Fort Watson^^, and no better description of the 
entire plan can be given than by quoting the words 
of the historian, Weems. 

''Finding that the fort mounted no artillery, Mar- 
ion resolved to make his approaches in a way that 
should give his riflemen a fair chance against the 
musqueteers. For this purpose, large quantities of 
pine logs were cut and, as soon as dark came on, 
they were carried in perfect silence within point 



*5Fort Watson was at Wright's Bluff, on Santee River, 
east bank, now in Clarendon County. 

77 



blank range and run up in the shape of large pens 
or chimney stacks, considerably higher than the 
enemy's parapets. Great, no doubt, was the con- 
sternation of the garrison next morning, to see 
themselves thus suddenly overlooked by this strange 
kind of steeple, pouring down upon them from its 
blazing tops incessant showers of rifle bullets. The 
Patriot riflemen lying above them and firing 
through loopholes, were seldom hurt, while the 
British, obliged every time they fired to show their 
heads, were frequently killed." 



EXECUTION OF COL. ISAAC HAYNE 

(This is historic, not romantic.) 

Col. Isaac Hayne had, when the British 
seemed to have conquered South Carolina, taken 
''Protection," which was a mutual contract between 
the British and Col. Hayne. The British violated 
their part of the contract which relieved Col. Hayne 
from the obligations of his part. He took up 
arms with his countrymen. His party had been 
attacked by the British and dispersed. Deeming 
himself beyond pursuit, with Mr. Charles Glover 
and a few followers he had hurried into the plan- 
tation of Mrs. Ford^*. While resting here on Sun- 
day morning a company of British cavalry was 
seen galloping up the avenue. Col. Hayne endeav- 
ored to escape by crossing the field at the back 



54 Mrs. Ford's plantation, four miles from Parker's Ferry, 
Edisto River. 

73 



of the plantation, but Capt. Campbell, command- 
ing, saw and pursued him. In leaping a ditch, the 
side caved in and the Colonel's horse fell and he 
was captured. It is said that Capt. Campbell, 
known as '*Mad" Archie, was very indignant 
at the ultimate fate of his captive, and declared 
that if he thought such would have been his end, 
he would have killed Hayne in the pursuit, that he 
might at least have died the death of a soldier. 

For nearly three weeks Hayne lay in the provost ; 
the basement of the Exchange^ ^, the building 
known as the Old Post Office, at the foot of Broad 
Street, Charlestown. He was given a so-called 
trial. On his appeal to Col. Balfour, Maj. Trask, 
the Town Major brought him the fatal answer: "I 
have to inform you that your execution is not 
ordered in consequence of any sentence from a 
court of inquiry, but by virtue of authority with 
which the Commander in Chief in South Carolina 
and the commanding officer in Charlestown are in- 
vested. And their resolves on the subject are un- 
changeable." His execution was an act of personal 
tyranny on the part of the two officers. 

The procession moved from thei Exchange in 
the forenoon of August 4, 1781. The streets were 
crowded with thousands of interested spectators. 
Col. Hayne walked to the place of execution with 
such firmness, composure and dignity as to awaken 
the compassion and to command the respect of all. 
Neither arrogating superior firmness nor betraying 



53 Exchange, East Bay, foot of Broad Street. 

79 



weakness, he ascended the cart, unsupported and un- 
appalled. Being asked whether he wished to say 
anything, he answered, *'I will only take leave of 
my friends and be ready." He then affectionately 
shook hands with three gentlemen, commending his 
children to their care, and gave the signal for the 
cart to move. 

For a fuller account of the trial of Col. Hayne 
and its subsequent effects, see McCrady's History 
of South Carolina during the Revolution 1780 to 
1783, pages 382-412. It will reward perusal. 



DEATH OF BARON DeKALB 

The Battle of Camden®^ was an overwhelming 
victory for the British, and generally attributed to 
the over-confidence of the American commander, 
Genl. Gates. Maj. Gen. Baron DeKalb com- 
manded a portion of the American line which of- 
fered a most gallant resistance to the British at- 
tack. It was forced, however, to surrender. 
Having his horse killed under him, the Baron fell 
into the hands of the enemy, and was pierced with 
wounds, eight from bayonets and three from mus- 
ket balls. He was raised to his feet and stripped 
of his hat, coat and neck cloth and placed against 
a pine tree. While there Cornwallis rode up and 
addressed him, saying, *'I am sorry, sir, to see 
you, not sorry that you are vanquished, but sorry 
to see you so badly wounded," and gave orders to 



siBattle fought eight miles north of Camden, and one 
mile north of Saunders Creek. 

80 




TUMB OF GENERAL BARON I)E KALB, CAMDEN, 
of the American Army, and Killed in the Battle of Camden. 



an officer to administer to his wants and rode off. 
Tradition identifies the spot and the very pine tree. 
It stood until 1884, when it was destroyed by a 
forest fire. Portions of the charred trunk are 
still to be seen, and lie a few feet to the East of 
the highway. DeKalb had been mortally wound- 
ed and died on the third day after the battle in 
what is known as the "Blue House" ^^'^ in Cam- 
den. He was buried with all the honors of war, 
and his funeral attended by the British officers. 



THE SWAMP EPICURE 

(Condensed from one of Simms' Historical 
Romances) 

Lieut. Porgy was one character in Simms' his- 
torical romances which was not the fictitious name 
of a real character. The distinguished author re- 
cites facts, at least traditionally true, but generally 
under fictitious names. But Lieut. Porgy is the 
epicure amidst the hardships of Partisan life — a 
creation of the author's brain. But so real are 
the many incidents of his career that they might 
w^ell have happened to some one, and it will be in- 
teresting to recall the episode of Lieut. Porgy's 
capture of the terrapins. The story has to be, of 
course, much abbreviated and it is hoped that this 
will not rob it of its interest. 

It was night in the swamp where Marion's men 



i34Blue House stood at or near the corner of Broad and 
Meeting Streets, Camden, east of the Presbyterian 
Church. 

81 



camped. Said Lieut Porgy, "We live in a very 
pleasant world, John Davis. Nature feeds us in 
all our senses, whenever we are willing and wise 
enough to partake. You breathe, you see, you 
smell, you taste, and you ought to be happy, 
Davis; why are you not?" 

**Well, I don't know. Lieutenant; I only know 
I ain't happy." 

*'0h, man of little faith ! It is because you won't 
use your senses, John Davis — your eyes. You ask 
me what I see! Blind mote that thou art! Dost 
thou see nothing? Look, and let me show you 
the pleasantest prospect, for a dark night, that 
your eyes ever hungered over. See the lagoon 
just beyond that old cypress, see the dead tree half 
rolled into the water. Look at the end of the 
fallen tree. Do you understand now why it is that 
I rejoice; why my bowels yearn and my soul ex- 
alts? Look and feast your eyes. Not a word lest 
you disturb the comely creatures." 

What did he see? On the log, three enormous 
terrapins — alligator terrapins — uncouth monsters, 
truly, and with such well developed tails as to jus- 
tify their appellation. 

Porgy continued, now in a whisper, "That's a 
sight, John Davis, to lift a man from a sick bed. 
Look how quietly they lie; that farthest one^ — I 
would it were nigher— is a superb fellow, fat as 
butter, and sticking full of eggs. There's soup 
enough for a regiment — be quiet, and I will give 
you a lesson in dexterity. I was a great terrapin 
hunter in my youth. You shall see me come upon 

82 



them like an Indian. I will put on the character 
of a social grunter. Ah, the hog is a noble animal ! 
It's almost a sin to mock him. Hold my rifle and 
witness my execution." 

Porgy's agility greatly belied his appearance. 
He was soon stealing away, along the edge of the 
hammock and in the direction of his victims. He 
pressed forward on hands and knees, appearing in 
the dusky night, very like the animal he was imi- 
tating. The terrapins were uneasy, and Porgy fre- 
quently had to stop and often emit a grunt like the 
hog. "The hog," muttered Porgy, **has one feature 
of the good aristocrat. He goes where he pleases 
and grumbles when he chooses. But it may not be 
proper for the gentleman to put on the hog, unless 
on an occasion such as this. The pleasures of a 
dinner are not to be lost for a grunt." 

He pressed forward, grunt after grunt testify- 
ing to the marvelous authority which his appetite 
exercised over his industry. Porgy's grunts were 
a sad fraud. The largest terrapin pricked his 
head and stood on the alert, but was soon satisfied. 
A second grunt reassured him. He had lived in 
intimate communication with hogs all his days. 
Porgy made his way forward until astride of the 
very tree on which his unconscious victims reposed. 
To reach the prey he had to practice that curious 
locomotion styled '^cooning the log." He had 
squatted fairly upon the log, hands and knees, and 
slided along. Nigher and nigher he came, until 
at last he sat squat almost alongside of the two — 
the third being almost in his grasp. He had put 

83 



out his hand for the seizure, when the terrapin 
showed symptoms of alarm, but on his quieting 
down, the hands of the captor closed upon him, 
with a clutch from which there was no escaping. 
One after another, the victims were turned upon 
their backs, and with a triumphant chuckle the cap- 
tor carried off his prey to the solid tussock. 

"I cannot talk to you for an hour, John Davis, 
my boy — not for an hour — here's food for thought 
in all that time. Think of the soup we shall get 
out of these terrapins. Think of our half -starved 
encampment. The art which traps for us such 
food rises into absolute sublimity! Some years 
hence when our great grand-children think of the 
sort of life we led when we were fighting to secure 
them an inheritance, they will record this achiev- 
ment of mine as worthy of Roman fame." 



DON'T ASK FOR GIZZARDS 

CoL. Pendleton was once cornered by the Brit- 
ish at the Pinckney Plantation, "Fairfield," on the 
Santee River. To conceal him, the good ladies 
wrapped him in a roll of carpet and stored him 
away in the garret. The British soldiers searched 
vainly from attic to cellar. The colonel, unfortu- 
nately, was something of an epicure, and this weak- 
ness led to his discovery. He was particularly fond 
of turkey gizzards. Hearing a servant killing a tur- 
key in the yard, his appetite got the better of his 

84 



prudence, and he called out of the window to the 
servant to save the gizzard for him. His voice be- 
trayed his whereabouts, and he was soon made a 
prisoner. 



SIEGE OF CHARLESTOWN— 1780 

This attack by the British on Charlestown was 
rather different from that of 1776, and more re- 
sembled that made by Prevost in 1779. The Brit- 
ish approached via James Island and the west side 
of the Ashley River, crossed that river above the 
City, moved down the peninsula, and laid siege. 
Their fleet did not engage Fort Moultrie, but sailed 
past, not injured by the heavy fire, and anchored 
off Fort Johnson. 




Horn Work, Defences of Charlestown, 1780. 



The City had defences all along the water front, 
which prevented any landing from the fleet. The 
lines on the land side ran across the neck on the 
ridge just north of (now) Calhoun Street. The 

85 



City Gate was at King Street, and on each side 
was a strong fortress called Horn Work, faced 
with ''tabby"^^ A remnant of this "tabby" of 
horn work now stands near the Citadel Building, 
on the King Street side. 

The enemy threw bombs, shells, carcasses, fire 
balls into the City, largely damaging property, and 
causing many fires. Families had to find safety in 
their cellars. A family occupied the small brick 
house on Calhoun Street, just west of the present 
Columbus Hall*'^. The father had obtained leave 
to visit his family. As he entered the house ancl 
embraced his wife, a cannon ball from the enemy 
killed both, dying in each other's arms. 

After years brought to light the fact that Maj. 
Andre was in Charlestown during the siege, as a 
spy, and was secreted in a house on the east side 
of East Bay, opposite the Pinckney mansion^^. 

The use of facines became necessary for the de- 
fence, and Col. John Laurens sacrificed his beauti- 
ful ancestral garden^^ to furnish the materials. 
From this source, he and his followers prepared the 
facines, and repaired the works. 

Learning that provisions were becoming scarce 
in the City, the British, as a joke, threw in a bomb- 
shell filled with rice and molasses. The Americans, 
returned the same shell, filled with sulphur and 



46The remnant of the horn work stands on Marion 
Square, near the Citadel building and King Street. 

47 No. 145 Calhoun Street. 

48Site of present Union Cotton Press. 

*9John Laurens* garden, the square bounded by East 
Bay, Society, Anson and Laurens Streets. 

86 



hog fat, with a note that it was for the Scotch 
regiments, to cure them of the itch. 

As the siege progressed, the distress of the be- 
sieged from hunger, exhaustion, wounds and death 
was largely increased and the fire of the enemy be- 
came daily more destructive. The inhabitants 
joined in a petition to Gen. Lincoln, the American 
commander, urging capitulation, to which he finally 
consented, and the surrender was agreed upon May 
12, 1780, after a siege of six weeks. 

How precarious is the fortune of war! After 
the capitulation it was discovered that the British 
commander, having heard that a French fleet was 
on its way to relieve Charlestown, had considered 
the raising of the siege. 

Charlestown was the only American city which 
had stood the siege of the British troops. It had 
been subjected previously to two other attacks, 
both of which had failed. It was only captured 
after an obstinate and protracted defence. 

The following condensation of the translation from the French 

of a journal kept by De Brahm, a French engineer in 

the American Armv, will give the progress of 

the siege in detail, and will be very 

interesting: 

Feby. 9, 1780. — The English fleet arrived on 
Stono Inlet. Alarm fired in Charlestown. 

Feby. loth. — The British troops landed. 

March 9th and loth. — Seven vessels were sunk 
near mouth of Cooper River, and cables fixed from 
one to other, to prevent entrance of the river. 

March 13th. — The enemy took possession of the 

87 



land on Ashley River, opposite the town, construct- 
ed a battery near the mouth of Wappoo, on the 
prolongation of Tradd Street^^, on the site of the 
traditional residence of Gov. William Sayle in 1670. 

March 21st. — The English fleet passed the bar 
and anchored in Five Fathom Hole. 

March 25th. — Our armed (American) vessels 
before Fort Moultrie, returned to town. Cannon 
were transported into land batteries. 

March 29th. — The English army crossed Ashley 
River, twelve miles above the town^^ 

March 30th. — The advanced guard of the enemy 
within two miles of Charlestown. The fortifica- 
tions, even at this time, very incomplete. All ne- 
groes in town impressed, and with parties detailed 
from garrison, were henceforth employed upon 
works. 

March 31st. — At daybreak observed that the 
enemy had opened his trenches in three places. 

April 1st and 2nd. — The enemy's works were a 
little extended and ours augmented. 

April 3rd. — This morning the battery was dis- 
covered upon a height at Hampstead^^. Four 
pieces constructed on our right to oppose the 
enemy's, from which, and all the others, continuous 



soBattery was on the point of land between Ashley River 
and Wappoo Cut, on the mainland. 

siBritish crossed the Ashley River at Ashley, now Bee's 
Ferry. 

52Half Moon Battery, west of Bay Street, between Co- 
lumbus and Amherst, opposite Terminal Station, and 
was standing up to about 1880. 

88 



firing of shot and bombs kept up the following 
night along lines. 

April 4th. — This morning daylight discovered to 
us the enemy's battery very much injured. 

April 5th. — Galleys fire on town all night — gorge 
of horn-work closed. 

April 6th. — Reinforcements under Gen. Wood- 
ford arrived. 

April 7th. — Enemy prolongs right of his first 
parallel. 

April 8th. — Quarter before sunset, English fleet 
passed Fort Moultrie, under heavy fire, and an- 
chored in a line near Fort Johnson. Fleet consisted 
of seven vessels, one of which grounded on a bank 
called 'The Green.'' 

April 9th. — Grounded vessel abandoned and 
burnt. Enemy commenced battery in front of our 
left. 

April loth. — Works of enemy advanced. This 
evening, parley received demanding surrender, re- 
fused. 

April nth. — Our batteries fired a great deal last 
night. 

April 1 2th. — Little firing during night. Enemy 
had more cannon mounted. At noon three chalops 
passed Fort Moultrie under heavy fire and joined 
the fleet. 

April 13th. — 9 a. m., enemy opened, firing bombs, 
carcasses and hot balls; fire returned; lasted two 
hours. We had one 18-pound gun dismounted and 
two houses in town burnt. 

April 14th. — Slow fire all last night; enemy ad- 

89 



vanced little; commenced battery on banks of Ash- 
ley opposite the town. 

April 15th. — Fire continued. Enemy's second 
parallel commenced. 

April 1 6th. — In addition to usual fire enemy 
opened from new battery. This evening one of 
our galleys ascended Cooper River, taking position 
enfilading English camp — kept up fire several hours. 

April 17th. — Enemy enfiladed town on all sides 
last night, and threw many bombs. This morning 
enemy's second parallel prolonged to our left. 

April 1 8th. — Fire from batteries and musketry 
all day. 

April 19th. — Fire continues. Evening three of 
enemy's galleys descend Wappoo and joined fleet, 
under heavy fire. One lost her main mast. 

April 20th. — Ravelin commenced in front of 
horn work. 

April 2 1 St. — Enemy commenced two batteries 
near his second parallel. 

April 23rd. — Enemy extended sap of his second 
parallel. 

April 24th. — Sortie by Col. Henderson and two 
hundred (200) men. Returned with twelve pris- 
oners. 

April 26th. — Enemy commenced third parallel. 
Troops from a vessel and four Gallies landed at 
Mt. Pleasant and took a battery with one piece, 
and losing a galley. 

April 28th. — Last night our fort at Lampriere's 
was evacuated and occupied by the enemy today. 
Charlestown now completely invested. 

90 



May 4th, 5th, and 6th. — Enemy makes three bat- 
teries on third parallel and we, two redoubts. 

May 7th. — Fort Moultrie capitulated. A sixty- 
gun ship joined the fleet. 

May 8th. — Enemy sent a parley truce during the 
day. In Council of War, composed of all the offi- 
cers of the General Staff, it was resolved, by a 
majority vote, to propose a capitulation. 

May 9th. — Enemy mounted cannon in batteries 
of third parallel, during the truce. Commanders 
not agreeing on terms, siege recommenced. 

May nth. — Enemy's trenches extended under 
abattis of advanced battery. This afternoon par- 
ley sent to enemy to propose fresh terms. 

May 1 2th. — Terms accepted, and English army 
take possession. The English have worked very hard 
upon fortifications. All I can learn is, that they 
have strengthened the profiles of the lines; have 
constructed a fort at Hampstead, and some re- 
doubts more advanced; they have also commenced 
a battery on Shute's Folly^^. 



THE RESCUE OF COL. ISAAC HAYNE 

This story is certainly not historically correct, 
and even tradition does not justify it. It is given 
by the novelist and romancer, Wm. Gilmore Simms, 



53Shiite's Folly, the marsh island on which Castle Pinck- 
ney stands. So named, it is said, because one Shute 
attempted to bank it in and make a field. The first 
Equinoctial gale totally destroyed the work, hence 
Shute's Folly. 

91 



and is most apt to be a creation of his fervid imag- 
ination, marvelous if not probable, and hence may 
properly find a place in "The Romance of Lower 
Carolina." 

Col. Isaac Hayne had, when the Patriot cause 
seemed to have been lost in South Carolina, taken 
British ^'Protection." The contract was violated 
by the proclamation of Sir Henry Clinton, so 
Hayne was duly authorized and did take up arms 
for his country. He was captured at the Battle of 
Camden, it is said. Failing to induce Col. Hayne 
to accept the flattering commission offered by the 
British, Lord Cornwallis decided that he must be 
hung as a traitor. He sent him to Dorchester, 
where he was well known, to be executed there, be- 
cause of the influence it would have upon the peo- 
ple. 

An officer of Marion's men, with a detachment 
of men went to the neighborhood of Dorchester to 
effect, if possible, the rescue of Col. Hayne. 

On the day of the execution, a strong guard, a 
majority of the garrison, with the prisoner, 
emerged at midday from the town. The road, at 
the place of execution, was on the easy ascent of a 
small clay hill. On each side a squad of the Parti- 
sans had been concealed, and in convenient trees, 
hidden by their close foliage, were three skilled 
riflemen. The procession moved on — the crowd 
gathered — the doomed victim was before the fatal 
tree — the officer in command proceeded with his 
arrangements for the execution. Hark! What is 
that ? The church bell has sounded a single stroke. 

92 



All are startled by the unexpected. It was repeat- 
ed. The clashing metal thundered forth peal after 
peal. Then the surprise was complete. The sig- 
nal brought the wild cries of men, women and chil- 
dren from the town. A sudden burst of flames 
rose from the center of the town — another and an- 
other in other directions — the village was on fire! 
The crowd broke on every side, rushing through 
the guard surrounding the prisoner, creating the 
greatest confusion. While the alarm was at the 
highest and the commander was striving to pre- 
serve order and keep his troops in ranks, he fell 
from the fire of one of the hidden riflemen. Then 
the bugles of the Partisans sounded and both 
squads impetuously charged upon the British. 
Their officer next in command coolly closed his 
men around the prisoner and faced them to meet 
their enemy. The Partisan commander broke 
through the enemy's line. The fatal cart was before 
him. Right and left his heavy sabre cut. He was 
well supported by his men. The fight grew fearful 
around the cart in which stood the prisoner with 
his hands tied. In a moment one of the Partisans 
leapt into the wagon and cut the cords. Hayne 
sprang from the cart, and the Partisans gathered 
around him. They held the enemy at bay, while 
CoL Hayne gained the cover of the woods and 
mounted the horse provided for him. He rushed 
forth, with a wild shout, giving the enemy the im- 
pression of assistance coming. The British gave 
back, yielded, and finally broke and fled down the 

93 



road to the village, and the Partisans, carrying off 
Col. Hayne, retired to their swamp fastness. 

The signal for the rescue of Col. Hayne was 
given by a brave young girl of Dorchester. Be- 
fore dawn on that day she went to the church, 
climbing over the graves with some trepidation, 
making her way into the church, and thence to the 
steeple. Here she watched patiently and long. 
Hour after hour, until noon, did the girl continue, 
close concealed, awaiting the moment to do her 
share. 

Her task was to watch until the cavalcade 
reached a certain point and then sound the tocsin 
and give the signal. The bell sounded a single 
stroke — it was repeated! The alarm was given! 
Woman has again shown her patriotic devotion to 
the cause of the liberty of her country. 

The place of execution is supposed to have been 
the hill on the Orangeburg Road just before reach- 
ing Dorchester, and about half a mile from the 
fort. The tree from which he was to have hung 
was pointed out up to about 1900, when it was 
blown down. 



HOW THE PARTISANS REACHED THEIR SWAMP 
FASTNESSES 

(Condensed from one of Simms' Historical 
Romances) 

During the Revolutionary struggle in lower 
Carolina the bands of Patriots and native Tories 
made use of the many swamps in that region. 

94 



These swamps are many miles in extent, and have 
many plots of high ground in their recesses, which 
were used as the refuges of both. Their intrica- 
cies were well known, from life long experience, to 
the natives and they were thus enabled to protect 
themselves by hiding in their depths. To the un- 
initiated it is a wonder how these men got into 
these hidden fastnesses. It will be interesting to 
learn, from the great Carolina romance writer, 
Simms, how one of the swamps was entered. We 
therefore present this account, muchly condensed. 
A bugle speaks shrilly — a single sharp note as a 
signal. A torch flares through the woods above and 
along the narrow ridges, leading a detachment of 
twenty troopers, who slowly pick their way. They 
pass in single file down into the gloom, the torch 
bearer on foot, showing the narrow trail, which 
they take in silence. The land undulates. Now 
they are on hard, red clay, now they sink. The way 
before them is broken into holes and rivulets. The 
fallen cypress, half buried in the long grasses, 
stretches at their feet. They scramble over it, 
only to plunge into the turbid waters of the bayou. 
They cross a clammy moat, scramble up a rugged 
causeway, at the farther end of which a torch 
waves. The bearer stands upon a fallen tree, 
spanning a gorge, in which is seen a shattered 
wheel in a half choked mill race. The horsemen 
wind along below him near the edge of the cause- 
way. They lead their steeds across the ditch and 
make their way, roughly, up the opposite bank. 
There is the ancient mill seat. The light sweeps 

95 



around it and the troopers follow, among bays and 
willows beyond the lake of cypress. This disap- 
pears. The torch bearer reappears upon a rising 
ground, and behind him stands the rude log house 
of the miller, the destination of the party. 



GRAND OLD ST. MICHAEL'S IN CHARLESTOWN 

On the 17th of February, 1752, the corner stone 
of the present building of St. Michael's was laid^^. 
The material of which it was built was brought 
from England. The steeple, rearing its towering 
head One Hundred Eighty (180) feet, is architec- 
turally unsurpassed by any in the country then or 
now. 

During the siege of Charleston, 1780, a shot 
from a British battery on Stile's place on James 
Island, called by the citizens the ^'Watermelon Bat- 
tery," struck the steeple and, glancing, carried ofi 
the arm of the statue of Pitt, which then stood 
near the Church. 

The old, square, high-backed pews and the sound- 
ing board over the pulpit, have been retained to 
the present day, giving the interior a very colonial 
aspect. The chime of eight bells has crossed the 
Atlantic five times. On the evacuation of the City 
by the British in 1782 they were carried as one of 
the spoils of war to Great Britain, but were re- 
turned. During the Confederate War they were 
carried to Columbia, supposedly for safety. But 



26Church stands at southeast corner of Broad and Meet- 
ing Streets, Charleston. 

96 




ST. MICHAEL'S CHURCH, CHARLESTOWN. 
Corner Stone laid 1752. 



when in that City, at the time of the Federal occu- 
pation, they were so cracked and injured as to be 
useless. After the war they were sent back to 
England and recast in the original moulds, and by 
the successors of the firm which originally made 
them, one hundred years before. No sound ap- 
peals so touchingly to the heart, particularly of the 
Charlestonian, as from these old bells. On the 
walls of the Church and in the grave yard are 
many memorials to the distinguished dead of Caro- 
lina. 



COLONEL ROBERTS AND MAJOR DAVIE 

Among the American officers who lost their 
lives at the Battle of Stono^^, was the gallant Col. 
Owen Roberts, commander of the 4th South Caro- 
lina Continental Regiment. He had taken an ac- 
tive part in the Revolution from its commencement 
and had been elected, by the Provincial Congress, 
Major of the ist Regiment. He had won a splen- 
did reputation for bravery and skill as an officer. 
His son, who was also in the battle, hearing of his 
father's fatal wound, hastened to him. The expir- 
ing officer, perceiving his son's great sorrow, with 
gl*eat composure, it is said, thus addressed him, 
"I rejoice, my boy, once more to embrace you. 
Receive this sword, which has never been tar- 
nished by dishonor, and let it not be inactive while 



56Stono Ferry crosses the Stono River, between the main- 
land and John's Island. The battle was fought on 
the mainland, near the ferry. It is about six miles 
from Charleston. 

97 



the liberty of your country is endangered. Take 
my last adieu, accept my blessing, and return to 
your duty." 

Major William R. Davie was severely wounded 
in the same battle, and narrowly escaped with his 
life, and was only saved by the devotion of a 
trooper, whose horse had been killed. On his re- 
treat, seeing the imminent danger of his officer, re- 
turned at the risk of his life, for the enemy were 
within a few steps, and with great composure raised 
Maj. Davie on to his horse, to whose bridle Davie 
had clung, and safely led him from the battlefield. 
Depositing the Major in safety, this trooper dis- 
appeared. Though diligent inquiry was made, Maj. 
Davie could not ascertain who was his preserver. 
Two years after, at the siege of Ninety-Six, the 
trooper made himself known, and was unfortu- 
nately killed the next day in battle. 



REVOLUTIONARY BREECH LOADERS 




Breech Loaders used at Battle of Camden. 

A VERY unique and interesting relic of the Revo- 
lutionary War is a pair of pistols, used by Capt. 

98 



William Johnson in the Battle of Eutaw. Their 
peculiarity is that they are breech loaders. The 
mechanism is crude and clumsy. The barrel had 
to be unscrewed from the breech, the charge in- 
serted, and the barrel screwed back, primed, and 
then was ready for firing. All this had to be re- 
peated after every discharge. A pistol, in the pos- 
session of the author, made in 1744, has elevating 
sights, in principle the same as those of the modern 
rifle. Thus were so-called modern inventions fore- 
stalled by the inventiveness of preceding ages. 



MAJOR JAMES INTERVIEWS THE BRITISH CAPTAIN 

About the end of June, 1780, Ardesoif of the 
British navy arrived at Georgetown^ to carry Sir 
Henry Clinton's last proclamation into effect, and 
invited the people to come in and swear allegiance to 
King George. Many complied, but the inhabitants 
of a portion of the district, of Irish extraction, 
and settled in what is now the County of Williams- 
burgh, and a part of Marion, into which the Brit- 
ish arms had not penetrated, held a public meeting 
to consider the matter. Major John James, who 
had commanded some of the people in battle, and 
also represented them in the General Assembly, 
was chosen to go down to Georgetown and learn 
if it was really meant by the proclamation that 
they would be required to take up arms against 
their fellow countrymen. Major James proceeded 



1 George town is reached by Seaboard Air Line. 

99 



to Georgetown in the plain garb of a country 
planter and was presented to the Captain at his 
residence. The Captain heard Major James with 
surprise and indignation that such an embassy 
should be sent to him, and answered that, "The 
submission must be unconditional." To an in- 
quiry whether the inhabitants would be allowed 
quietly to stay at home, he replied, "Although you 
have rebelled against his Majesty, he offers you a 
free pardon; you must take up arms in support of 
his cause." To the Major's suggestion that the 
people he came to represent would not submit to 
such terms, the Captain, irritated at his bold lan- 
guage, particularly at the word "represent," re- 
plied, "You damned rebel, if you speak in such 
language, I will immediately, order you to be hung 
up to the yard arm." The Captain was armed with 
a sword, the Major had no arms, so he seized a 
chair, brandished it in the face of Capt. Ardesoif, 
and making his retreat good through the back door 
of the house, mounted his horse and made his es- 
cape. 

This incident hastened the raising of Marion's 
Brigade. Many of the people had submitted and 
taken paroles, but they declined to imbrue their 
hands in the blood of their countryment and joined 
Marion's men. 



100 



SHARP WITTICISM OF THE REBEL WOMEN 

The repartee of the Whig ladies was ofttimes 
very good. Among the many, one is told of Mrs. 
Charles Elliott, a very brilliant and patriotic wo- 
man. As a very handsome French officer, a 
prisoner, was passing her house, a British major 
who was with her, pointing him out, said, "See, 
Mrs. Elliott, one of your illustrious allies — what a 
pity it is that the hero has lost his sword." "Had 
two thousand such men," replied the lady, "been 
present to aid in the defence of our City, I should 
not have been subjected to the malignity of your 
observation." At the moment a negro, trigged out 
in full British uniform, passed. "See, Major," 
continued she, "one of your allies — bow with grat- 
itude for the service rendered by such honorable 
associates — caress and cherish them — the fraternity 
is excellent, and will teach us more steadily to con- 
tend against the results." 

And the following are witty and expressive. 
The haughty Tarleton, vaunting his feats of gal- 
lantry to the great disparagement of the officers of 
the Continental cavalry, said to a lady, "I have a 
very earnest desire to see your far famed hero. 
Col. Washington." "Your wish. Colonel, might 
have been fully gratified," she replied, "had you 
ventured to look behind you after the Battle of 
Cowpens." It was in this battle that Washington 
had wounded Tarleton in the hand, which gave 
rise to a still more pointed retort. Conversing 
with Mrs. Willy Jones, Col. Tarleton observed, 

101 



"You appear to think very highly of Col. Washing- 
ton, and yet I have been told that he is so ignorant 
a fellow that he can hardly write his own name." 
"It may be the case," she readily replied, "but no 
man better than yourself, Colonel, can testify that 
he knows how to make his mark." 

An officer distinguished for his inhumanity and 
oppression, meeting Mrs. Charles Elliott in a gar- 
den adorned with a great variety of flowers, asked 
the name of the camomile, which appeared to flour- 
ish with great luxuriance. "The rebel flower," 
she replied." "Why was that name given to it?" 
said the officer. "Because," replied the lady, "it 
thrives most when most trampled upon." 



MRS. HEYWARD WOULD NOT ILLUMINATE 

The women [ God bless them ! To the patriot- 
ism of the women of Carolina is largely due the 
freedom of our country. Under the accumulated 
evils which bore down on the Patriots, that manly 
spirit which alone could secure success would have 
sunk but for the cheering smile and intrepid firm- 
ness of the fair sex. Many instances of their devo- 
tion exists and space alone prevents their more gen- 
eral introduction. In another place reference is 
made to the patriotism of Rebecca Motte. The 
following as to the firmness of Mrs. Thomas Hey- 
ward is given: 

An order was issued during the British occupa- 
tion of Charlestown for a general illumination to 
celebrate the supposed victory at Guilford. The 

102 



front of the house occupied by Mrs. Hey ward and 
her sister was dark as erebus. A British officer 
forced his way into her presence and sternly de- 
manded, ''How^ dare you disobey the order and 
not illuminate your house?" ''Is it possible for 
me, sir," calmly replied the lady, ''to feel a spark of 
joy? Can I celebrate the victory of your army, 
while my husband remains a prisoner at St. Augus- 
tine?" "That," rejoined the officer, "is a matter of 
little consequence. The last hopes of rebellion are 
crushed by the defeat of Greene. You shall illumin- 
ate." "Not a single light," said the lady, "shall be 
placed with my consent in any window in the house." 
"Then, madam, I will return with a party and level 
it to the ground." "You have power to destroy, 
but over my opinions you possess no control. I 
disregard your menaces. I will not illuminate." 



FIDELITY OF A BRITISH CORPORAL 

Once Lord Rawdon had to send an express of 
great importance through a country filled with the 
Patriot troops. Corporal O'Leary of the 17th 
Dragoons, known for his courage and intelligence, 
was selected to escort it. They had not proceeded 
far when they were fired on, the express killed and 
the Corporal wounded in the side. He snatched 
the despatch from the dying man and rode on un- 
til, from loss of blood, he fell, when, fearing the 
despatch would be taken by the enemy, he thrust 
it into his wound until the wound closed over it 
and concealed it. He was found next day by a 

103 



British patrol with life just sufficient to point to 
the fatal depository of his secret. In searching 
the body the cause of his death was found. The 
surgeon declared the wound itself was not mortal, 
but was rendered so by the irritation of the paper. 



THE CHARLESTON LIBRARY 

The Charleston Library Society was the earliest 
association of its kind in Charlestown, and the 
third in the United States. It was organized in 
1748 by seventeen young gentlemen, who desired 
to obtain some of the current literature from Eng- 
land. They soon associated others with them, and, 
after some difficulties, a charter was obtained in 
1754, under the name of Charles Town Library 
Society. It increased in number and wealth, and 
in spite of the heavy loss sustained by the fire of- 
1778, acquired an extremely valuable collection of 
books^^. 

The number of volumes in the library is, in 191 5, 
forty-eight thousand, and the Society is in a flour- 
ishing condition. During the War of 1861-65, the 
greater part of the books, including the most valu- 
able works, was removed to Columbia for safety, 
but a considerable number were left in the building 
and were entirely destroyed. After the war the 
Society was reorganized, and, in 1874, Apprentices' 
Library Society was merged in it, bringing a large 
accession of members and some funds. 



5801d site northwest corner Broad and Church Streets. 

104 



In February, 1900, the South Carolina Jockey 
Club, an association of equal age with the Library 
Society, determined to dissolve, transferred the 
whole of its valuable property to the Society, mak- 
ing an endowment which secures the future of the 
Library. The old building on Broad Street was 
abandoned and the Library removed to a new, 
handsome marble building on King Street, near 
Queen, which has modern library equipments'^^. 

The collection of books in the Library is of al- 
most priceless value; besides many rare volumes 
scarcely found in even the great libraries of the 
country, illustrated works and fine editions of the 
English and French classics, there are files of news- 
papers from 1732, pamphlets and works of local 
history which make the collection a mine of histori- 
cal value and interest. 



THE EXCHANGE, CHARLESTOWN, NOW KNOWN AS 
THE OLD POST OFFICE 

At the east end or foot of Broad Street, on the 
east side of East Bay, stood from 1680 the old 
Court of Guards^^. In 1761 an Act of Assembly 
was passed for the erection on this site of an Ex- 
change, the contract for building given to Messrs. 
Horlbeck, and the cost was fixed at £44,016, i6s., 
8d., gold. Most of the material used was brought 



59New building Nos. 164-172 King Street, above Queen, 

east side. 
55East side of East Bay, opposite Broad Street. 

105 



from England. When completed it became the 
general business mart of Charleston, and so con- 
tinued for many years. During the occupation of 
the City by the British, its lower floors were used 
as a prison, and in one of the rooms in the base- 




Old Exchange, foot of Broad Street, 
as it was during Revolutionary period. 

ment Col. Isaac Hayne was confined, and thence 
taken to execution. 

The front was originally on the east side, and 
wings extended out on East Bay, but as these ob- 
structed the street, they were taken down and the 
front changed to the western side. More recently^ 

106 



the roof being out of repair, the cupola and some 
of the ornamental work were removed, but the 
building still presents an imposing appearance, and 
its historic associations make it an object of much 
interest. On December 14, 1899, the 117th anni- 
versary of the evacuation of Charleston by the 
British, the Society of the Sons of the Revolution 
placed a bronze plate on the western wall recording 
the historical incidents of the location. 

The building has been granted by the Govern- 
ment to the Daughters of the American Revolution 
of South Carolina, the local chapter, the Rebecca 
Motte, to have special charge. Possession will be 
given when the new quarters for the light house 
station are complete. It will be kept by the D. A. 
R. as a memorial of the past. 



ONE OF THE SWAMP HOMES OF THE PARTISANS 

Big Island, about five acres in extent, in Cy- 
press Swamps \ was the camping place of Marion's 
men, when operating in the vicinity of Dorchester. 
This swamp is the headwaters of the Ashley River. 
It possesses historic interest only as the home of 
the Partisans. No battle was ever fought here. 
Its approach was so intricate that, although in close 



61 Cypress Swamp is about five miles from Summerville. 
Big Island is not accessible by vehicles, nor in com- 
fort in any manner. 

107 



proximity to the British post at Dorchester, the 
Royal troops never dared to enter the swamp and 
dispossess the Americans. 



THE FAMOUS LIBERTY TREE 

Before the actual outbreak of the Revolution, 
and while the patriotic sentiment was crystalizing, 
the more ardent of the Patriots held conferences 
under the spreading branches of a noble live oak. 
This tree stood in Mr. Mazyck's pasture, now the 
square bounded by Charlotte, Washington, Calhoun 
and Alexander Streets. It was subsequently known 
as the ''Liberty Tree." It was a place of social 
and political gatherings and much was done under 
its branches to further the cause of American inde- 
pendence^^. 

A meeting of Patriots was held under this tree 
in the fall of 1776. The list of those attending 
this meeting is given in McCrady's History of 
South Carolina under the Royal Government, page 
590. At this meeting Christopher Gadsden im- 
pressed upon the Patriots assembled that the repeal 
of the Stamp Act and the tenns thereof did not 
show that Great Britain relinquished her designs 
against the Colony, and urged them to continued 
resistance. The address was received with pro- 
found attention, and with linked hands, the whole 
party pledged themselves to resist — a pledge that 
was fully redeemed when the hour of trial arrived. 



62Stood on lot No. 22 Alexander Street, Charleston. 

108 



When Charlestown was captured its name and 
associations rendered the Liberty Tree an object 
of hatred to the British, it was cut down and 
burned, the low blackened stump was all that re- 
mained of this historic tree. 



COL. SAMUEL WARREN'S *XEG"-ACY 

Colonel Samuel Warren, of St. James, San- 
tee, had some English aunts, loyal and devoted to 
their King. When they learned that their nephew 
had decided to join the Patriots and fight for the 
liberty of his country, they were bitter and un- 
christian enough to send him word that they hoped 
that he would lose a leg or an arm. At the siege 
of Savannah he lost a leg. So he dutifully deter- 
mined to let them have a visible evidence that their 
wish had been realized, and he had his leg, carefully 
preserved in alcohol, sent to the loyal ladies. 



CAPTURE OF WILLIAM SAUNDERS 

William Saunders^ a grandson of the pioneer 
settler, was one of Marion's men. On one occa- 
sion, having been given a furlough that he might 
visit his family, he was captured by a party of 
British soldiers near Rafting Creek. He feigned 
illness, hoping that they would pass him by and 
not make him a prisoner, but the wily British said 
that he was undoubtedly very sick and that bleed- 
ing was necessary, and at once proceeded, as they 

109 



thought, to bleed him to death, leaving him sup- 
posedly in a dying condition. They then went on 
their way, but he recovered and lived to fight again. 



BETHEL METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH 

The Methodist Church was organized in Amer- 
ica in 1784, and at once took root in Charlestown. 
A wooden building was erected on the site, corner 
of Pitt and Calhoun Streets, and in this building 
the sainted Wesley preached when he visited 
Charlestown. The present brick edifice^^ was 
erected and dedicated in 1853, and the old building 
moved to the rear of the lot and faced on Calhoun 
Street. It was used as a Sunday school building. 
Subsequently a new wooden Sunday school building 
was erected, and the old historic church building 
was moved across to the north side of Calhoun 
Street, and is now used by a congregation of col- 
ored Methodists^®. 

This old wooden building is one of the oldest 
church buildings in the City, and is historically 
memorable as that in which Wesley ministered. 

A very handsome brick Sunday school building 
has very recently replaced the wooden building. 
With great wisdom the Methodist Church, and this 
one in particular, has fostered its Sunday school, 
as a prolific breeding place of Christians. 



65Brick Church building corner Pitt and Calhoun Streets, 

Charleston. 
66 Old wooden church, No. 222 Calhoun Street, north side. 

110 



GABRIEL MANIGAULT AND HIS GRANDSON 
OFFER THEIR SERVICES 

The devotion of the Patriots and their loyalty 
to the cause of liberty is well shown by the follow- 
ing story: Gabriel Manigault, a Huguenot, was 
the richest merchant in Carolina during the Colo- 
nial period. At the time of the Revolution, he 
was far beyond the age of military service, but his 
pecuniary aid was not wanting and he contributed 
largely, out of his great fortune, to the Patriots' 
cause. When the British appeared before Charles- 
town in May, 1779, though Mr. Manigault was 
past seventy-five years of age, he determined that 
the place of his birth should not fall without some 
exertion, however feeble, on his part. His son 
having died, his grandson, Joseph Manigault, then 
only fifteen years of age, was in his charge. 
Equipping himself and his grandson as soldiers, 
he took the boy by his hand to the lines in t^he 
face of the enemy, from whom an attack was im- 
pending, and offered the services of his grandson 
and himself in the defence of the City. 



GALLANT RASHNESS OF COLONEL JOHN LAURENS 

Of Colonel John Laurens, one of South Caro- 
lina's most distinguished and heroic patriots, it has 
been said that his gallantry in action was highly 
characteristic of his love of fame. The post of 
danger was his favorite station. Some, even, with 
much truth, style his intrepidity the height of rash- 
ness. Let one instance suffice: 

HI 



Captain O'Neal of Lee's Legion had been ordered 
to cross the Ashley River with a troop of cavalry 
and company of infantry, but properly waited for 
a boat he had sent for. Col. Laurens rode up and 
demanded with warmth, ''Why this halt, Captain? 
Were not orders given to cross?" ''Yes, Colonel, 
but look to the current and judge if it be practi- 
cable." "This is no time for argument," rejoined 
Laurens, "you who are brave men follow me." He 
plunged into the river, was overwhelmed by the 
current and with great difficulty reached shore. 
O'Neal, than whom no braver man lived, indignant 
at the speech of Laurens, replied, "You shall see, 
sir, that there are men here as brave as yourself,'* 
and at the head of his troop, dashed into the river. 
The scene that followed justified Capt. O'Neal's 
prudence. All was tumult and confusion. No life 
was lost, several were nearly drowned, and all were 
so much exhausted that a temporary halt was nec- 



HOW PATRICK CALHOUN ADVOCATED POPULAR 

SUFFRAGE 

Patrick Calhoun was the father of Carolina's 
most eminent statesman, John C. Calhoun. Soon 
after the Revolution, when a revision was being 
made of the laws, among them that referring to 
suffrage, there was a party in favor o! restricting 
suffrage to those with property qualifications. This 
aroused the patriotic and democratic feeling of old 
Patrick Calhoun, and he determined not to submit 

112 



to such an aristocratic measure, and to defend the 
right of suffrage at all hazards. Failing to con- 
vince, by argument, his opponents, he shouldered 
his rifle, rallied his neightbors, who also armed 
themselves, and placing old Patrick at their head, 




Patrick Calhoun and His Friends Going to the Polls. 
(Copy of an old engraving) 

they marched to the polls, within twenty-three 
miles of Charlestown, and compelled a change of 
the voting. This made old Patrick so popular that 
he was elected a member of the State Legislature, 
in which he continued for many years. 



RIVERS, ON THE EARLY HUGUENOT SETTLEMENT 

Writing of the early Huguenot settlement and 
immigration, the historian Rivers says : 

'The nobility and wealthier portion of the refu- 
gees" (from France, after the revocation of the 

U3 



Edict of Nantz) "remained nearer their old homes, 
in England and on the Continent. Those who 
ventured to America were generally tradesmen, 
agriculturahsts, and merchants. Merchants, gold- 
smiths, watchmakers, shipwrights, block makers, 
sail makers, coopers, weavers, leather dressers, 
gardeners, apothecaries, gunsmiths, wheelwrights 
and other artisans found a home and employment 
in Charles Town; while about seventy families set- 
tled in Craven County, on the Santee (and some 
on Cooper River and at Goose Creek), and indus- 
triously set to work in clearing and cultivating the 
ground. Their coming was a happy event. The 
Colony needed such men. Sobriety and earnest 
labor brought to the destitute exile, competence and 
accumulating comforts. Such as had been able to 
fetch money with them and had purchased lands 
and slaves, soon saw themselves! surrounded by 
the teeming plenty of fertile plantations." 

^'Governor Sothell had the wisdom to see the 
usefulness and noble character of these immigrants 
and as soon as he had power, all French and Swiss 
Protestants were, by law, constituted as free bom 
in the Colony and of equal rights with the other 
settlers." 

The action of Governor Sothell did not, how- 
ever, meet the approval of the Lords Proprietors, 
which action alone showed their total inefficiency 
for the high trust they held. 



114 



CUPID RESPECTS NOT POLITICAL DIFFERENCES 

During the British occupation of Charlestown, 
a very large part of the population just had to re- 
main in their homes in the City. Social life went 
on measurably as usual. Friendships, enmities, 
companionship, love and hate, took their usual 
courses. British tyranny could not quiet the tongues 




John Teasdale House, Bast Bay. 

of the fair ones. In fact, they must have been al- 
lowed by their enemies a certain amount of free- 
dom of language. Perhaps it is just to acknowl- 
edge the endurance of the British, of the witty, 
fearless, patriotic words of Mrs. Brewton. How- 

115 



ever, she was so outspoken they finally exiled her 
to Philadelphia. 

There must have been a certain amount of social 
intercourse between those of differing political sen- 
timents. Some of the British officers found brides 
among the loyalist women, and some of the loyal 
British subjects were married to the most patriotic 
girls. The union of Mr. John Teasdale and Miss 
Mary Verree was an instance of the latter. 

Joseph Verree was one of the earliest and most 
devoted patriots, having been a member of the 
First Provincial Congress. His daughter, Mary, 
who certainly must have imbibed his patriotism, 
fell captive to the charms of Mr. John Teasdale, 
then a merchant in Charlestown, and a British sub- 
ject. Mr. Teasdale left with the British when they 
evacuated the City, but his attachment to Miss 
Verree forced him back after peace was established 
and he came and married her. He built a home 
for his bride on East Bay^^, near Water Street. 
While a few bales of Cotton* Wool, had been 
sporadically shipped, even as early as 1758, yet 
John Teasdale was the merchant who opened up 
the Cotton trade, as his first shipment of eight 
bales from America was continuously followed by 
himself and others, without a break, and thus es- 
tablished a business which has gradually grown to 
as many million bales. (The Author is the great 
grandson of this couple.) 



67Teasdale residence, No. 43 East Bay. 

116 



SIXTY-SIX BATTLES AND ENGAGEMENTS WHICH 

TOOK PLACE DURING THE REVOLUTION 

IN LOWER CAROLINA; 

that portion of the State of South CaroHna lying 
between the falls of the rivers and the sea coast; 
with their location as far as possible, by their pres- 
ent designations. Information from McCrady's 
History of South Carolina. 

Naval Battle in Charlestown Harbor, Nov. 11th and 12th, 1775. 

^^Charlestown Harbor, between Fort Johnson 
and Shute's Folly Island. 

American schooner Defence, Capt. Simon Tufts; 
British vessels Tamar and Cherokee, Capt. Thorn- 
brough. No casualties. Americans succeed. 

Battle of Fort Moultrie, June 28th, 1776. 

^^Sullivan's Island, and also east end of island. 

Americans in fort 435, commanded by Col. Wm. 
Moultrie. At east end of island 780, commanded 
by Col. Wm. Thomson. At other points around 
the harbor, but not engaged, 5,307, whole command- 
ed by Gen. Chas. Lee. British on Long Island, 
commanded by Clinton, 2,800. Fleet, 11 vessels, 
carrying 270 guns, commanded by Admiral Sir 
Peter Parker. Loss : Americans, 96 ; British, 200. 
First complete American victory. 

Battle of Beaufort, February 12th, 1779. 

''^Port Royal Island. 

Americans 300, under Col. Moultrie. British 

117 



2O0, under Maj. Gardiner. American loss, 30. 
American victory. 

Battle of Coosawhatchie, May 3rd, 1779. 

^^Near town of Pocotaligo. 

Small rear guard action, 350 men under Col. 
John Laurens. Loss 20. British advancing under 
Prevost. Details wanting. 

Battle of Charlestown, May 11th, to 13th, 1779. 

^^Crossing at Bee's Ferry, the British moved 
down the neck, and fighting took place outside of 
lines, say north of Calhoun Street. 

Americans 2,500, under Gen. Moultrie. British 
2,400 men, under Gen. Prevost. Losses: Ameri- 
can, 42; British, 45. British retire, defeated. 

Battle of Stono, June 20th, 1779. 

^^At Stono Ferry to John's Island. 

Americans 1,000, under Lincoln. British 500, 
under Col. Maitland. Losses: Americans, 165; 
British, 129. One of the hardest fought battles of 
the war. British victory. 

Battle of Matthews Plantation, June 1779. 

^^On Stono River. 

Details missing, but most of the Beaufort Com- 
pany were killed or wounded. 

Capture of British Vessels, June, 1779. 

''^Off mouth of Stono River. 
Captains Hall, Tryon and Anthony, and others, 

118 



put to sea and attacked seven British vessels, cap- 
turing two and destroying one. 

Galley Fight on Stono River, June, 1779. 

^^Stono River, near Wappoo Creek. 
Galleys under Captain Pyrne attack British, and 
make some captures. American loss, 6 men. 

American Schooner, Rattlesnake, Resists Attack, June 1779 

"^^In Stono River. 

British force, 6o. Attack repulsed with greater 
part of men lost. 

Engagement at Salkehatchie, March 18th, 1780. 

^^Salkehatchie. 

Americans 50, under Lieut. Ladson, attacked 
British, and were all killed, wounded or captured. 

Battle of Pon-Pon, March 20th, 1780. 

^^Pon-Pon, in Colleton County. 
Americans, under Col. Wm. Washington, meet 
British under Tarleton. Loss: American, 14. 

Battle of Rantowles, March 27th, 1780. 

'^'^Gov. Rutledge's plantation, between Rantowles 
Bridge and Ashley Ferry. 

Americans, under Col. Wm. Washington; Brit- 
ish, under Tarleton. Forces and losses unknown. 
Americans victorious. 

119 



Battle of Monck's Corner, April 12th, 1780. 

^^Monck's Corner, near Biggin Bridge, on 
Cooper River. 

Americans lOO, under Gen. Huger; British 150, 
under Col Tarleton. Losses: American, 33; Brit- 
ish, 2. British victory. 

Siege of Chariestown, March-May, 1780. 

^^In front of and before the City. 

Americans 5,941, under Gen. Lincoln. British 
Army 13,000, under Gen. Clinton, and navy under 
Admiral Arbuthnot. Losses, killed and wounded: 
Americans, 258; British, 287. City captured and 
garrison prisoners. 

Battle of Lenud's Ferry, May 18th, 1780. 

^^Lenud's Ferry, on southern bank of Santee 
River. 

Americans 300, under Col. White. British 150, 
under Col. Tarleton. Losses: American, 35; Brit- 
ish, 2. Americans dispersed. 

Capture at Hunt's Bluff, August 1st, 1780. 

^On Pee Dee River, about twenty-five miles be- 
low Cheraw, on East bank. 

Americans, under Thomas. British, 100, under 
Col. Mills. Entire British force and vessels cap- 
tured. 

Battle of Wateree, August 15th, 1780. 

® ^Camden Ferry across Wateree, at Carey's Fort, 
on west bank. 

120 



Americans 700, under Gen. Sumter. British, 
under Col. Carey. Tories completely routed. 

Battle of Camden, August 16th, 1780. 

^^ Eight miles north of Camden, and one mile 
north of Gum Swamp, or Saunders Creek. 

Americans 3,500, under Gen. Gates. British 
2,339, under Lord Cornwallis. Losses: American, 
2,070; British, 336. British victory. 

Engagement at Nelson's Ferry. 

®2 Nelson's Ferry, Santee River. 
Small affair of Marion's. 

Engagement at Kings-Tree, August 27th, 1780. 

^^Near present town of Kingstree. 

Marion's men under Maj. James dashed on rear 
of Wemyss' British Column, and made some cap- 
tures. 

Battle of Black Mingo, September 14th, 1780. 

^'^ Shepherd's Ferry, on the south side of Black 
Mingo. 

Americans 150, under Gen. Marion. Tories, 
under Capt. Ball, Losses: Americans, 50; British, 
60. American attack failed. 

Battle of Tarcote Swamp, September, 1780. 

^^In the fork of Black River. 

x\mericans 400, under Marion. Tories, under 
Col. Tynes. Losses: American, none; British, 26. 
American victory. 

121 



De Peyster*s Capture, January 19th, 1781. 

^^Postell's Plantation, on the Pee Dee, near 
mouth of Black River. 

Americans 28, under Capt. John Postell. Brit- 
ish 29, under Capt. James DePeyster. Total cap- 
ture of British. 

Engagement at Whitens Bridge, January, 1781. 

^"^On Sampit Road, about two miles from George- 
town. 

Americans, under Col. Peter Horry, attack Brit- 
ish and Tories, under Col. Gainey, and drove them 
into Georgetown. Numbers and loss unknown, 
but heavy on the part of the British. 

Attack on Georgetown, January 24th, 1781. 

^''Town of Georgetown. 

Americans, under Marion and Lee. British, 
under Col. Campbell. Numbers and losses missing. 
Partisans entered the town, captured some officers 
and men, and then were forced to leave. 

Engagement at Wadboo Bridge, January 24th, 1781. 

^^ Bridge crosses Fair Forest Swamp, about one 
and a half miles south of Biggin Church, near 
western branch of Cooper River. 

Americans, under Capt. John Postell, captured 
British supplies. Forces and losses unknown. 

Engagement at Monck*s Comer, June 24th, 1781. 

^^Keithfield Plantation, near Monck's Corner. 
Col. James Postell and party of Partisans, raid 

122 



on British at Manigault's Ferry and Monck's Cor* 
ner, capturing supplies. Numbers and losses un- 
known. 

Engagement at Singleton's Mill, February, 1781. 

^^Near Halfway Swamp, about twenty miles 
from Charlestown, St. Thomas' Parish. 

Americans, under Marion, attack British, under 
Maj. McLeroth. Numbers and losses unknown. 
American victory. 

Attack on Fort Granby, February 19th, 1781. 

^^On west bank of Conga ree, about one and a 
half miles below Columbia. 

Americans, under Sumter, and British, under 
Maj. Maxwell. Numbers and losses unknown. 
Fort relieved by Lord Rawdon. 

Battle of Thompson's Plantation, February 23rd, 1781. 

^^ About thirty-five miles from Granby, in Cal- 
houn County, near Fort Motte. 

Americans loo, Sumter. British 8o. Losses: 
American, unknown; British, 79. American vic- 
tory. 

Attack on Fort Watson, at Wright's Bluff, February 27th, 1781 

^^Wright's Bluff, east bank of Santee, near Nel- 
son's Ferry. 

Americans, under Sumter, repulsed. 

123 



Battle of Wiboo Swamp, March 6th, 1781. 

^^ About midway between Nelson's and Murray's 
Ferries, on Santee, in Clarendon County. 

Americans 250, under Marion. British 500, 
under Col. Watson. Losses, unknown. British dis- 
persed. 

Engagement at Mount Hope, Black River, March, 1781. 

^^In Williamsburg County. 

Americans, under Marion. Tories, under Wat- 
son. Numbers and losses, unknown. Tories dis- 
persed. 

Engagement at Sampit Bridge, March, 1781. 

^^In Georgetown County, near the town. 
Americans, under Marion. Tories, under Wat- 
son. Numbers and losses, unknown. 

Capture of Snow's Island, March, 1781. 

®^ Marion's Camp, in the Pee Dee Swamp. 

Attack by Tories under Col. Doyle and, in Mar- 
ion's absence, captured, and all supplies destroyed, 
driving off small guard left. 

Capture of Four Holes, April 7th, 1781. 

^^In Dorchester County, near Southern Railway 
station of Dorchester. 

Americans 100, under Col. Wm. Harden. Brit- 
ish 26, under Barton. Entire British force killed, 
wounded or captured. 

124 



Engagement at Barton's Post, April 8th, 1781. 

^^Six miles from Four Holes Swamp, Colleton 
County. 

Americans, under Maj. Cooper, attack British 
under Barton, and capture entire party. 

Engagement on Pocotaligo Road, April 8th, 1781. 

■^^Near Pocotaligo. 

Americans, under Maj. Cooper, attack British, 
under Maj. Fenwick, with 91 men. Loss: Ameri- 
cans, 6; British, 10. Both sides retreated. 

Capture of Fort Balfour, April 13th, 1781. 

^^At Pocotaligo. 

Americans, under Col. Harden. British 91, 
under Maj. Fenwick. Losses: Americans, none; 
British, entire garrison. Americans capture fort. 

Siege of Fort Watson, April 15th to 23rd, 1781. 

*^Near Wright's Bluff, on Santee River, Claren- 
don County. 

Americans 380, under Gen. Marion and Col. Lee. 
British 120, under Lieut. James McKay. Losses: 
American, 8; British, 120. Fort captured by 
Americans. 

Battle of Wi-gins Hill, April, 1781. 

^^In Barnwell County, below Briar Creek, be- 
tween Coosawhatchie and Augusta. 

Americans, under Harden. Tories 670, under 
Col. Browne. Losses: Americans, 19; British, un- 
known. Americans defeated. 

125 



Battle of Hobkirk's Hill, April 25th, 1781. 

^^^On the outskirts of Camden. 

Americans 939, under Gen. Greene. British 900, 
under Lord Rawdon. Losses: Americans, 268; 
British, 258. Americans defeated. 

Capture of Orangeburg, May 11th, 1781. 

^^^Town of Orangeburg. 

Americans 500, 'under Gen. Sumter, cap^tured 
British, 100 men. 

Capture of Fort Motte, May Uth, 1781. 

^^Near present town of Fort Motte. 

Americans 380, under Gen. Marion and Col. 

Lee, capture British, 150 men, under Lieut. Mc- 

Pherson. . , ,, 

Capture of Fort Granby, May 15th, 1781. 

^^Granby, on the west side of Congaree River, 
about one and a half miles below Columbia. 

Americans 300, Gen. Sumter and Col. Lee, cap- 
ture British, 150, under Maj. Maxwell. 

Col. Mydelton Ambuscaded, June, 1781. 

^^^Lexington County, near Congaree River. 

Americans 150, under Col. Mydelton, ambus- 
caded by British, under Major Coffin. American 
losses, 105. Americans defeated. 

126 



Attack on Partisans at Horse Shoe, July 8th, 1781. 

^°^In Colleton County, near Edisto River. 

Americans under Col. Hayne, British under Maj. 
Fraser. American loss 15, besides Col. Isaac 
Hayne captured. Americans defeated. 

: I ! ( , . ■ 

Attack on Quarter House, July 15th, 1781. 

^^^ About five miles from Charlestown, on the 
State Road. 

Americans, under Col. Wade Hampton. British, 
under Lieut. Waugh. Americans successful. 

Battle of Quinby Bridge, July, 1781. 

^^' Bridge across eastern branch of Cooper River, 
in Berkeley County, near Shubrick's Plantation, 
about twenty miles from Charlestown. 

Americans 700, under Gen. Sumter. British 700, 
under Col. Coates. Losses: American, 60; Brit- 
ish, 145. American attack failed. 

Whigs Dispersed in the Fork of the Edisto, August, 1781. 

io6Pqj.j^ of Edisto, in Orangeburg County. 
Americans, under Rumph. Tories, under Con- 
naway. 

British Ambuscaded at Parker's Ferry, August 31st, 1781. 

^^''^On Edisto River, in Colleton County. 

Americans 200, under Gen. Marion. British, un- 
der Fraser. Heavy British loss, exact numbers un- 
known. 

127 



Battle of Eutaw Springs, September 9th, 1781. 

^^^Near present town of Eutawville. 

Americans 2,098, under Gen. Greene. British 
2,300, under Col. Stuart. Losses: American, 517; 
British, 664. American victory. 

Moore's Surprise, November, 1781. 

^^^Betvveen Orangeburgh and Rowe's Plantation, 
two miles from Orangeburgh. 

Americans, number unknown, under Maj. Moore, 
surprised by 500 Tories under Qen. Cunningham, 
and routed. American loss, 12. 

Capture of Fair Lawn, November 27th, 1781. 

^^*^0n west branch of Cooper River, near 
Monck's Corner. 

Americans 380, under Cols. Shelby and Maham. 
capture garrison of 80, and valuable supplies. 

Col. Richard Hampton Surprised, November, 1781. 

^^^Town of Orangeburgh. 

Americans under Col. Richard Hampton sur- 
prised by Tories, under Col. Wm. Campbell, and 
routed. Numbers and losses, unknown. 

Capture of Dorchester, December 1st, 1781. 

^^Town of Old Dorchester. 
Americans, under Col. Wade Hampton, defeated 
British reconnoitering party, and capture town. 

128 



Battle of Videau's Bridge, January 3rd, 1782. 

^^On Brabant's Plantation, then property of Rev. 
Robt. Smith, on east branch Cooper River, near 
French Quarter Creek. 

Americans, under Col. Richard Richardson, at- 
tacked by 350 British, under Maj. Coffin. Losses: 
Americans, yy^ British, 2. Americans routed. 

Battle of Wambaw Creek, February 24th, 1782. 

^^^Durant's Plantation and Christ Church Road, 
St. James, Santee, Parish. 

Americans, under Col. McDonald. British, 
under Thompson. Losses : Americans, 44. Amer- 
icans surprised and defeated. 

Battle of Tidyman's Plantation, February 25th, 1782. 

^^^Tidyman's Plantation, on the Santee River, 
near Wambaw Bridge. 

Americans, under Marion. British, under Col. 
Thompson. Losses: Americans, 32. Americans 
defeated. 

Capture of British Galley, March 19th, 1782. 

^^^High up Ashley River, exact location un- 
known. 

Americans, under Capt. Michael Rudolph, cap- 
ture galley. British loss, 32. 

Engagement Near Dorchester, April 24th, 1782. 

^^Near town of Dorchester. 
Americans, under O'Neal. British, under Capt. 
Dawkins. American loss, 9. Americans defeated. 

129 



Tories Dispersed at Dean Swamp, May, 1782. 

^^^Dean Swamp, branch of South Edisto River, 
Orangeburgh County. 

Americans, under Captains Watson and Butler, 
attack troop of Tories, and disperse the same. 

Gainey Surrenders to Marion at Bowling Green, June 8th, 1782. 

^^^ Marion County. 

Americans, under Marion, capture 500 Tories 
under Col. Gainey, June 8th, 1782. American 
loss, I. 

Skirmish at Combahee, August 25th, 1782. 

^^^Twelve miles below the Ferry, on the north 
side of the Combahee. 

Americans 60, under Col. John Laurens. Brit- 
ish 140, under Brereton. Losses: American, 24; 
British, 7. Post captured by British. 

Engagement of Capers' Scouts, August, 1782. 

^^^ Berkeley County. 

Americans 12, under Capt. G. S. Capers. Brit- 
ish 26. Losses: Americans, 2; British, 26. Brit- 
ish defeated. 



CHURCH OF ST. ANDREW'S 

Among the relics of the early days in Carolina 
stands the Parish Church of St. Andrew's®^. This 
Parish was laid off in 1706, and a plain brick church 

63Is on the Ashley River Road, about half a mile below 
Bee's Ferry, where Church Creek crosses the road. 

130 



built. In 1723 this was added to, making it in 
the form of a cross, forty feet long and fifty-two 
wide, with a handsome chancel twelve feet deep 
and twenty-four feet wide; it was neatly finished 
and had commodious pews. At the west end was 
a gallery originally intended for those who had no 
pews, but afterwards appropriated to the colored 




St. Andrew's Parish Church. 



people. At the east end was a large window, and 
another on each side of the communion table. This 
church was destroyed by fire and rebuilt in 1764, 
and now remains one of the few which have es- 
caped the vicissitudes of two revolutions. 



GENERAL SUMTER'S HOME IN THE HIGH HILLS OF 

SANTEE 

General Thomas Sumter, of Revolutionary 
fame, made his home amidst the High Hills of 

131 



Santee. When sore pressed by the British, Gen- 
eral Sumter would take refuge in the dense swamps 
of the Wateree ; here he and his men at times regu- 
larly camped. The days were long and the meals 
were often scant in this modest retreat, so when 
the opportunity presented, they all came out to the 
hills for food. Mrs. Sumter was quite accustomed 
to having a hearty dinner prepared in the dead of 
night for this band of Patriots. One night the 
feast had just been placed before them, when the 
watchman cried out, "The British are coming!" 
In mad haste they rushed away. General Sumter 
seized a large ham and carried it safely to the 
depths of the swamp; there he finished his repast 
under the shining stars. When General Sumter's 
residence was destroyed by Tarleton's men, Mrs. 
Sumter took refuge at *'Hill Crest"^^, the home of 
Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Hooper. This house still 
stands upon a commanding hill, the lawn slopes 
gently down to the old coach road, which had been 
blazed out by William Saunders, the pioneer. 
Tales of hospitality, romance and war, are natural 
possessions of this ancient homestead. 

''When the tale of these High Hills of Santee 
is told it will be no history of dreams, but of men 
who helped to make a nation. Their inspirations 
were not bounded by the lofty forests. Nor their 
strength measured by the mighty hills. Infinite 
possibilities of successful achievements, wrought by 

68Hill Crest, near Sumter, S. C, R. F. D. No. 3. 

132 



patient courage, have come down to us a precious 
heritage. And so we have to climb the heights 
ere we reach our treasurehouse of memories." 



A SURGEON AS A DESPATCH CARRIER 

The ride of Dr. WilHam Reed, carrying the 
most important information to General Greene, 
bears high testimony to his endurance and patriotic 
devotion. It was not the duty of a surgeon to be 
a bearer of despatches, but the importance of the 
news carried by Dr. Reed justified and made most 
valuable, this distinguished service. 

Dr. William Reed, a surgeon, whose principal 
service was with the armies of the North, had a 
hospital at Charlotte, N. C., and was called upon 
to exercise great zeal and activity in carrying des- 
patches to General Greene. These despatches re- 
lated to the capture of Cornwallis by Washington. 
Dr. Reed rode eighty miles in ten hours, laid down 
at Camden for four hours, and then proceeded on 
at the rate of nine miles an hour, on the same horse 
and reached General Greene at Gabriel Guignard's 
house. He knew the importance of General 
Greene knowing the fate of Cornwallis before the 
British, under Lord Rawdon, should hear it. 
Greene immediately moved down and fought the 
Battle of Eutaw, before the British retreat could 
reach Charlestown. He gave the British a severe 
dressing, which contributed largely to the final suc- 
cess of the war. 

133 



MAJOR POSTELL CAPTURES A BRITISH PARTY 

Major John Postell, of Marion's men, was 
stationed to guard the lower part of the Pee Dee 
River. While there, Capt. James de Peyster, of 
the Royal army, with twenty-nine grenadiers, took 
post in the home of Major Postell's father^^. 
Learning of this. Major Postell and his men soon 
reached the house. He posted his small command 
of twenty-eight men in positions to command the 
doors, and then advancing to the house demanded 
a surrender. This being refused, he set fire to an 
outhouse, and then proceeded to burn the main 
house. Nothing but the immediate surrender of 
the whole party restrained^ him from sacrificing his 
ancestral home to gain an advantage for his coun- 
try. 



RALPH IZARD EVADES HIS ENEMIES 

Ralph Izard, then aide-de-camp to Col. Lee of 
the Legion, was temporarily at his home, Fair 
Spring Mansion House^^^, near the public road, a 
little above Bacon's Bridge. The British learned 
this, and sent a party to capture him. He had just 
time to conceal himself in a clothespress, when the 
enemy reached his house. Nothing saved him but 
the composure and urbanity of his wife, who main- 
tained her self control, notwithstanding the threat of 



860n the Pee Dee, near the mouth of Black River. 
1181s on the Charleston-Orangeburg Road, about one mile 
northwest of Bacon's Bridge. 

134 



personal indignity and of the plunder of her home. 
The British were finally withdrawn, when Capt. 
Izard crossed the Ashley River, in the rear of his 
house, and gave the alarm to a body of American 
troops nearby. The British, not satisfied with their 
first visit, had returned and made another search, 
and were retiring, when the Americ'an cavalry, 
whom Capt. Izard had warned, dashed on them, 
completely routing them. 



SOCIAL LIFE DURING THE PROPRIETARY ERA 

Social life in the Colony of Carolina during the 
era of the Proprietary Government was in rather 
a formative condition, which might well have been 
expected in a new country which had not been 
reclaimed from the savages, and settled by the white 
man, for quite fifty years. Some account thereof, 
in 1700, has come down to us by tradition, as 
given by Landgrave Smith. In his courting days, 
he said, young girls received their beaus at three 
o'clock, having dinner at twelve, expecting them to 
withdraw about six o'clock, as many families re- 
tired at seven in the winter and seldom extended 
their sitting up in summer beyond eight o'clock, 
their fathers having learned to obey the curfew toll 
in England. The rooms were uncarpeted, and the 
walls and ceilings rough and unpainted. Rush bot- 
tom chairs were used. 

Landgrave Smith, however, was of the party in 
w^hich the stiff and rigid morals of the Puritan 
were cultivated, and we are told that they were 

135 



made the object of ridicule by his neighbors. Law- 
son describes the gentleman having country seats, 
as very courteous, living very nobly, and giving 
very genteel entertainments. 

The Swiss gentleman who wrote to his friend 
at Berne, in 1719, so favorable an account of the 
Province, says that no people were more hospitable, 
generous, and willing to do good offices to strangers ; 
that everyone was ready to entertain them freely 
with the best they had. Though so happily situ- 
ated that nobody was obliged to beg for food, yet 
the charity of the inhabitants was remarkable in 
making provisions for the poor. 

Mrs. Poyas, in her ''Days of Yore," says, 'Tn 
these primeval times of Carolina, a cup of tea was 
considered a rare luxury, confined to those white 
days when a friend called in to chat away a social 
afternoon; trying to investigate the true cause of 
the death of her host's tabby cat, or to resume that 
theme for endless regret, that 'So many of the 
new comers were still crowded in low wooden 
sheds, and regaled with sour buttermilk and a viand 
which, although dignified with the name of veni- 
son, they did strongly suspect was nothing better 
than bear or wolf flesh.* Trials considered of suf- 
ficient importance by those kind-hearted dames to 
call forth a shower of tears and a breeze of sighs. 
Then it was gravely recommended that all should 
be pedestrians, if indeed they must go abroad at all, 
since it would be a proof of great activity and 
good management in any equestrian who could put 
his horse safely through the wilderness or keep him- 

136 



self from the exalted fate of Absalom. That busy 
and thriving race had loved each other. When 
they knew of the sick they repaired thither, and if 
a three-stringed fiddle v^as heard at a neighbor's 
door, all were in attendance, and should any un- 
lucky wight refuse to take part in whatever was 
proposed for the innocent amusement of the whole, 
rendered themselves the theme for endless jest." 



MAJOR JOHN VANDER HORST HAS A NARROW ESCAPE 

At White Hall Plantation^ ^^ several gentlemen 
were dining. Major John Vander Horst being one, 
Hearing the enemy was approaching, he raised the 
sash, and was about to jump out of the window, but 
the tail of his coat was caught by the heavy sash 
and held him suspended until it tore off. He es- 
caped to the graveyard, and hid near the spot 
where one of the Hall family was buried, the stone 
being still visible there, though not legible. A 
white oak tree on the road, leading into the place, 
shows where three Tories were hung by the Whigs. 



THE SOUTH CAROLINA SOCIETY, FOUNDED 1737 

The South Carolina Society was one of the 
earliest benevolent institutions in this country. It 
originated in the year 1737, with a few French 
Protestants, who met once a week, at a tavern at 



ii9White Hall is on the McClellanville Road, about seven 
miles from Mt. Pleasant, is the home of Mr. Philip 
L. Porcher. 

137 



the northeast comer of Broad and Church Streets; 
each contributed a small sum (two bits, or four- 
half -pence) for charitable purposes, and the So- 
ciety was for some time known as the Two-Bit 
Club. It was incorporated in 1751, under the name 
of The South Carolina Society, and increased so 
rapidly that, in 1 770, it had three hundred and sixty 
members, and a capital of £7,500, sterling. 

The Society continued to prosper, and much good 
was effected by giving aid to the needy families of 
deceased members, and educating their children. 

The HalP^^ of the Society is situated on the east 
side of Meeting Street, a short distance south of 
St. Michael's Church. It is a substantial structure 
of two stories and a high basement. The second 
story contains a fine hall, on the wall of which are 
marble tablets, with the names of the persons who 
have made donations or bequests to the Society. 
On the front of the colonnade, which extends over 
the sidewalk, the seal of the Society is represented, 
consisting of a hand holding an olive branch, with 
the legend, "Posteritati.'* 



THE COLLEGE OF CHARLESTON 

The College of Charleston was proposed, and 
the initiatory steps were taken for its foundation as 
early as 1770. But the Revolutionary War de- 
layed the fruition of the idea, and the College was 
not finally established until 1790. Thus early did 



i20Hall of Society No. 72 Meeting Street, just below 
Broad Street, east side. 

138 



South Carolina show her desire to give her sons 
the advantages of higher education. The work of 
the College has been continued to this day, and many 
of the most distinguished Charlestonians point with 
pride to their diplomas from that valued institution. 
It is situated on and embraces the square bounded 
by St. Philip, College, Green, and George Streets. 



THE PINCKNEY HOUSE IN CHARLESTOWN 




Colonial Home of Charles Cotesworth Pinckney, Charlestown. 
Burned In the Great Fire of 1861. 

The home of Charles Cotesworth Pinckney, on 
East Bay, corner of Pinckney Street, Charles- 
town^2\ was a grand old mansion, perhaps one of 



i2iThis house stood in East Bay, at the corner of Pinck- 
ney Street. 

139 



the finest in Carolina, if not in all the Colonies. 
Its situation was charming. The waters of the 
Harbor washed East Bay Street in its front, and 
from its many windows loomed a magnificent view 
of the entire bay. During the British possession 
of the City, it was "appropriated" by some of the 
higher ofBcers. At one time Colonel Cruden, the 
Agent of Sequestered Estates, occupied it as his 
home and official headquarters. A glowing ac- 
count of a brilliant ball given by the British colonel 
comes down to us. This was attended by the 
British officers and many of the loyal ladies, and by 
some of the rebel dames, who thought it policy to 
mix socially with them. The rebel women were 
outspoken to their enemies, and it seems to have 
been permitted with leniency. 

The Pinckney mansion stood intact, surrounded 
by its spacious and beautiful gardens, until swept 
away by the great fire of 1861. 



FIRST SITE OF CHARLESTOWN 

The first permanent settlers in Carolina were 
English emigrants sent out by the Lords Proprie- 
tors under the leadership of Col. William Sayle. 
They arrived in the year 1670 and established them- 
selves on the west bank of the Ashley River, about 
two miles above the present bridge from the City, 
and there laid out a town which they called 
Charles Town^^^. Of this nothing now remains 



122 Is on the Ashley River Road, about two miles above 
the bridge. 

140 



but a ditch or two, said to mark some of the old 
sites, and the name **01d Town Creek," characteriz- 
ing the creek which formed one of the boundaries. 
The ''Children of the American Revolution" have 
placed a slab to mark this historic spot. The set- 
tlement was, within ten years of its founding, re- 
moved to the more advantageous site, the Charles- 
town, known so well in history. 



HOW POLITICS WERE RUN IN 1768 

Some of the politicians of the present day would 
like, doubtless, to know how elections were con- 
ducted in the olden times. The wire-pullers of to- 
day have not greatly improved on old methods, and 
in essentials, the same means were used to secure 
results and bring out "The voice of the people." 
The following account is taken from McCrady's 
History of South Carolina : 

"The mechanics in Charlestown had not for- 
gotten their pledge made around the Liberty Tree. 
Quite a number gathered there on Saturday, the 
I St of October, 1768, to consult upon the proper 
persons to represent them in the ensuing Assembly. 
They first held a meeting in town, which was 
numerously attended, and which constituted what 
would now be called a canvass or nominating con- 
vention. Several gentlemen were put up for the 
nomination in the two town parishes. A vote was 
taken and upon a count a great majority were in 
favor of Christopher Gadsden, Thomas Smith, Sr., 
and Hopkins Price, for St. Philip's Parish, and 

141 



Thomas Smith (designated as B-S — i. e. Broad 
Street), and Thomas Savage for St. Michael. 
Henry Laurens and Charles Pincknej, whose names 
had been suggested, failed to get the nomination of 
the mechanics. 

*'The matter being settled without the least ani- 
mosity or irregularity, the Gazette goes on to say, 
the party partook of a plain and hearty entertain- 
ment, provided, it seems, by some of the candidates, 
(Rather more open handed and manly than buying 
votes.) About five o'clock they adjourned to the 
Liberty Tree^^, described by the Gazette as a noble 
oak in Mr. Mazyck's pasture, which they had for- 
mally dedicated to Liberty. There many loyal, 
patriotic and constitutional toasts were drunk" (at 
the candidates' expense, it is to be presumed) ''be- 
ginning with 'the glorious ninety-two ante re- 
scinders of Massachusetts Bay' and ending with 
'Unanimity among the members of the ensuing 
Assembly not to rescind from the said resolution.' 
In the evening, the Liberty Tree was decorated 
with forty-five lights, and forty-five sky rockets 
were fired, in honor of Wilkes and the North Briton 
No. 45. Then the whole company, preceded by 
forty-five of their number, carrying as many lights, 
marched in regular procession to town, down King 
Street to Broad Street, to Dillon's Tavern, where 
forty-five lights were placed on the table and forty- 
five bowls of punch, forty-five bottles of wine, and 
ninety-two glasses. Around these the party spent 



62 Liberty Tree stood on lot No. 22 Alexander Street. 

142 



some hours more in a new round of toasts, among 
which, we are told, that scarce a celebrated patriot 
of Britain or America was omitted." Oh! the big 
heads the next morning! 



GOVERNOR JOHNSON INTRODUCES RICE CULTURE 

Governor Sir Nathaniel Johnson, early in 
the eighteenth century, for he died in 1713, owned 
"Silk Hope"^^^, on the Cooper River. Rice being 
introduced into Carolina, he entered into many 
trials of different kinds of the grain and of the soil 
to ascertain which promised the best results. He, 
before others, built mills and other machinery for 
preparing the grain for market. It is said that it 
was owing altogether to his example and experi- 
ments that the planters were induced to engage in 
the cultivation of rice as a general crop. During 
the Revolution, Lord Cornwallis had his head- 
quarters at Gov. Johnson's place, for many months. 

He was buried on his place, and his grave was 
surrounded with a brick wall by Mr. Gabriel Mani- 
gault, and it still remains to mark the resting place 
of the illustrious dead. 



i240n the eastern branch of Cooper River, near Quinby 
Creek. 



143 



THE PARISH CHURCH OF ST. GEORGE'S, 
DORCHESTER 

The most conspicuous ruin remaining on the 
site of the colonial village of Dorchester is the 
shattered old tower of the Parish Church of St. 
George's, Dorchester (Church of England)^^. 
The statute providing for its construction was en- 
acted in 1 719. The construction was immediately 
commenced, and by 1720 all the exterior work 
was completed. The building was of brick, fifty 
(50) feet long by thirty (30) feet wide, besides 
the chancel. It is said to have received serious in- 
juries at the hands of the British, during the Revo- 
lutionary War. It was partially repaired in 181 1, 
but its congregation had departed and church serv- 
ices could not be maintained. Dalcho says that in 
1820 it was in a ruinous state, without a rector, 
and its records all lost. Some years later it took 
fire, from a forest fire, and it was partially de- 
stroyed. The earthquake of 1886 completed the 
destruction of the church building, leaving only 
the ruined tower. The communion plate passed 
into the possession of St. Paul's Church, Summer- 
ville, which subsequently, reserving one or two 
pieces, parted with it to St. Michael's, Charleston. 



390n site of old town of Dorchester, opposite ruins of 
old fort, on the Charleston-Orangeburg road. 



144 




RUINS OF ST. GEORGE'S CHURCH, DORCHESTER. 



THE ANCIENT MILL DAM (1699) IN SUMMERVILLE 

Near the extension of Fourth South Street, 
Summerville, still remains parts of the old dam 
across Saw Mill Branch, where there stood a saw 
mill, which was operated in 1699^^^. Daniel Axtell 
of Sudburry, Mass., of no relationship to Lady 
Axtell, the widow of the Landgrave of the same 
name, married Thankful Pratt, daughter of William 
Pratt, one of the original settlers of Dorchester. 
When he came to Carolina is not known, but he 
was there in 1699, carrying on a saw mill and tar 
and turpentine business. He kept a sort of day 
book of accounts, which was in 1905 in the hands 
of his descendant, Mr. Joshua Eddy Crane, of 
Bridgeport, Mass. Robert Fenwick, in 1700, ob- 
tained a grant of one thousand (1,000) acres. The 
old mill and dam is either on a part of the original 
Dorchester grant or the grant to Fenwick. As 
early as 1729 the land where the old mill dam ran 
across the swamp was known as "Saw Mill Land." 
It was not the "Mill Land" near the town of Dor- 
chester, and so described on the plats. In 1882, 
before the present canal down the swamp was ex- 
cavated, the dam was practically intact. Some of 
the old mill timbers, of solid cypress, remained on 
the old site. The oldest inhabitant could remember 
no one Vv^ho had seen the mill run, and the growth 
of pines on the pond showed that no water could 
have been kept there for a century. The mill site 



I231n Saw Mill Branch, near extension of Fourth South 
Street, in the town of Summerville. 

145 



has no historic interest, except for its antiquity. 
In our country of yesterday and tomorrow, any- 
thing over two hundred years old is a wonderful 
relic. 



BIRTHPLACE OF THE FIRST CAROLINA BABY, AND 
OF THE RICE CULTURE 

Tradd's house stood on the northwest corner 
of Tradd and East Bay Streets^*'. This was the 
birthplace of Robert Tradd, said to have been the 
first child born in the town. 

Thomas Pinckney, being a merchant as well as 
a planter, lived in a house which stood opposite to 
the Tradd house, at the southwest corner of East 
Bay and Tradd Streets^^^, which he built in 1692, 

Landgrave Smith's house was on the southwest 
corner of East Bay and Longitude Lane^^"^, only 
one block from the Tradd house. On the lot in 
the rear of this, it is believed that the first rice 
raised in Carolina was planted about the year 1693. 



MOULTRIE AND PINCKNEY AT SNEE'S FARM 

When Charlestown was captured by the British 
in May, 1780, Generals Moultrie, Charles Pinck- 
ney, and some other officers of note, were placed, 
on the Pinckney Plantation, known as Snee's 



i25East Bay, northwest corner of Tradd Street. 
i26East Bay, southwest corner of Tradd Street. 
127 East Bay, southwest corner Longitude Lane. 

146 



Farm^^^, having their promise not to take up arms 
again, which promise they fulfilled, though General 
Marion offered to assist them in escaping. They 
could not, in honor, consent. to that offer. Charles 
Pinckney was the owner of that place, and is 
buried there in the grove near the house, but not 
very many years ago, his grand-daughter, Mrs. 
Bellinger, had the stone which had been erected 
at Snee's Farm removed to Christ Church^^*, de- 
signing to place it on the inner wall of the Church. 
The inscription not being suitable, it was thought 
best to lay it upon a brick foundation outside of 
the Church, which was satisfactorily accomplished. 



WILLIAM SAUNDERS, THE PIONEER OF 
SUMTER COUNTY 

About the year 1735 William Saunders came to 
South Carolina and engaged in trading with the 
Indians. He employed a train of pack mules and 
several men to assist him. His goods were brought 
from Georgetown to the large Indian town situated 
very near the present site of Camden. He was the 
first man to blaze out a road through Central 
Carolina. This William Saunders is the first set- 
tler of whom can be found any record in what is 
now Sumter County. Having a family, and 
the Indians being very friendly to him, he soon 



i28Snee's Farm, on the Georgetown Road, four miles 
from Mt. Pleasant, owned in 1915 by Thos. P. Hamlin. 

i29Christ Church is on McClellanville Road, about six 
miles from Mt. Pleasant. 

147 



obtained land grants, and made his home in the 
section of the country which lay between the High 
Hills of Santee and the Indian town. 

The strong box in which his goods were carried 
for trading is still in possession of the Saunders 
family. 



ST. MARY'S, THE FIRST ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH 
IN CHARLESTOWN 

St. Mary's Church — Roman Catholic — Hasell 
Street^^^, was the first Roman Catholic Church in 
South Carolina, and on its walls and its cemetery 
may be seen the memorials of the early members 
of that faith in the City. The site has been in 
occupation since 1789, the present is the third build- 
ing erected, and was built about 1840. 



THE OLD ENGLISH CHURCH IN GEORGETOWN 

The Parish of Prince George, VVinyah, was set 
off by Act of the Assembly in 1721. The first rec- 
ord of any vestry thereof was their election in 1737. 
From 1736 until 1753, sundry Acts, wills and sub- 
scriptions were made for the erection of the Church 
building in Georgetown^^^ It is most probable 
that it was completed about 1754. During the Brit- 
ish occupancy of Georgetown the interior of the 
Church was burnt, but it was subsequently com- 



isoNos. 77-81 Hasell Street, between King and Meeting 

Streets, south side. 
131 Church of Prince George Winyah, Georgetown. 

148 



pletely repaired, restored and enlarged. It is very 
quaint, and the interior has had little alteration 
since, maintaining the old square pews. 



JEWISH SYNAGOGUE, CHARLESTOWN 

In 1750 there were enough Jewish families in 
Charlestown to organize a Society and erect a 
Synagogue in State Street, near Queen. Its name, 
which has been retained to the present time, was 
Beth Elohim, and the first Rabbi, Rev. Isaac de 
Costa. In 1757 they removed, and again in 1780 
to a lot near the present site in Hasell Street^^^ 



THE UNITARIAN CHURCH BUILDING, CHARLESTOWN 

The building on Archdale Street now occupied by 
the Unitarians^^^, was built just before the Revo- 
lution by Congregationalists of Circular Church, 
their membership being so numerous as to require 
two buildings. It was used by the British as a 
stable during their occupation of Charlestown, 
1780-82. In 181 7 part of the joint congregation 
became converted to Unitarianism, and the property 
was divided, the Presbyterians taking the Circular 
Church, and the Unitarians taking the Archdale 
Street Church. It was remodeled in 1854, the old 
foundations and walls being retained. 



i32Hasen Street, north side, between King and Meeting 
Streets. 

133 Nos. 6 and 8 Archdale Street, east side, between Clif- 
ford and Queen Streets. 

149 



CAROLINA OWES HER FREEDOM TO THE PARTISANS 

McCrady, in his History of South Carolina has 
not, as is too often the case, manufactured history, 
but after most exhaustive research and dehberate 
weighing of authorities, often conflicting, has cor- 
rectly chronicled the true history of the State. Not 
only this, but he often collates the facts, so as to 
impress their lessons. Among the many are the 
facts showing the great value of the Partisan troops 
during the Revolutionary War and their surpassing 
achievements, as compared with those of the Regu- 
lars or Continental troops. Up to the end of 1780 
the loss in killed and wounded of the American 
and British forces is almost the same, the former 
losing 1,967, and the latter 1,816. This is ex- 
clusive of prisoners. The greater losses of the 
Americans were in the siege of Charlestown, the 
massacre of Buford's force at the Waxhaws, the 
Battle of Camden, and the surprise at Fishing 
Creek. The first three battles, Continental officers 
were in command — the regularly organized Con- 
tinental armies under Generals Lincoln and Gates 
lost in killed, wounded and prisoners, 8,377, while 
the total British loss was only 647. Whereas, the 
Partisan bands under their own chosen leaders had, 
from July 12th to Dec. 11, 1780, five months, 
fought twenty-six battles with a British loss of 
1,200 killed and wounded, and 1,286 prisoners, a 
total of 2,486, while the Partisan loss was only 497 
killed and wounded, and 320 prisoners, total 817. 

The skilled and educated Continental officers, 
commanding comparatively well organized and 

ISO 



equipped troops, in their battles lost thirteen times 
as many men as the British. The Partisans, badly 
armed, without pay, and with no military exper- 
ience, inflicted a loss on their enemy three times 
as great as they themselves sustained. The Con- 
tinentals in five years captured 31 prisoners, the 
Partisans in five months 1,286. The Continentals 
in five years killed and wounded of the British 616, 
the Partisans in five months killed and wounded 
1,200 of the British. 

The Partisans were a far more effective organi- 
zation for successful results than the Continental 
armies. It is not surprising — the Partisan bands 
were composed of the most ardent and active of 
the people, fired with devoted patriotism and ready 
to make every sacrifice and bear every hardship in 
defence of their homes and loved ones, and they 
knew the country in which they operated. 

The Continentals were paid soldiers, largely 
fighting for their pay, and not animated to the same 
extent by the patriotic fervor of the Partisans. To 
the Partisans is largely due the redemption of Caro- 
lina from British rule. 



CAPTAIN JOHN SMITH AND THE BRITISH LIEUTENANT 

Capt. John Smith of the Third Maryland Regi- 
ment was captured at the Battle of Hobkirk. In 
surrendering he tendered his sword to a British 
Lieutenant, who contemptuously struck him with its 
broadside. To their honor be it said the other 
British of^cers of the garrison did not approve 

151 



such conduct, as they recognized Smith's courage, 
so they arranged a little dinner, to which both he 
and the Lieutenant were invited. It was agreed 
that Capt. Smith might treat as he chose the man 
who had insulted him, so he promptly proceeded to 
kick the fellow downstairs as soon as he showed his 
face in the room. The Lieutenant did not resent 
this indignity, and was soon after cashiered. 

Smith settled in this State after the war, and 
was long and most favorably known as Capt. John 
Smith of Darlington. 



THE CHIVALROUS TORY CAPTAIN, JOHN ADAMSON 

John Adamson of Camden, whose ashes lie in 
the Quaker section of the cemetery, was a gallant 
and chivalrous Tory officer. 

His rescue of Mrs. Martha Bratton showed his 
nobility. A small British squad reached her home 
and stated they wanted to see her husband. She 
replied that she did not know where he was, when 
a red-haired ruffian swore that he would make her 
know, and seizing a sickle that was hanging on 
the piazza, placed it in position around her neck, 
and drawing his sword swore that if she did not 
immediately tell where her husband was, he would 
cut her head off and split it. Mrs. Bratton did not 
move, but spoke in deliberate and measured tones, 
"I told the simple truth and could not tell if I 
would; but I now add, that I would not if I could." 
The villain's face grew pale and horrid, and just 

152 



as his blow was to fall, the sword and sickle fell to 
the floor and the wretch crouched a pitiable beggar 
for his life. Capt. John Adamson was the rescuer, 
and expressed regret to Mrs. Bratton and offered 
her full protection. 

The Americans attacked the Tory force during 
the night, and about daylight Mrs. Bratton was 
summoned out of the house by her husband, who 
with old Capt. Chambers was standing with drawn 
swords over a prostrate Red Coat. She, with 
some difficulty, recognized Adamson, who had been 
accused of offering the indignity to Mrs. Bratton. 
When she gave the true statement of his part in 
the attack on her, all their savage fierceness changed 
to tender care. Mrs. Bratton nursed him most 
skillfully and lovingly and did all she could for 
him, comforting him in the agonies of his frightful 
wound. 



RUNNYMEDE ON THE ASHLEY 

One of the most beautiful old places on the 
Ashley River is Runnymede, which adjoins and 
is just above Magnolia Gardens. 

It was settled before the Revolution, but no inci- 
dents of historic or romantic interest are, during 
this period, connected therewith. Soon after the 
Revolution, it was the home of Hon. John Julius 
Pringle, who was Speaker of the House of Assem- 
bly in 1787, and Attorney General of the State for 
many years from 1792. 

The present house, now the property of Mrs. 

153 



C. C. Pinckney, is modern, but the grounds are 
old and grand in their attractiveness. The house 
contains several objects of historic value, among 
which are some furniture, portraits, etc., from the 
old Pinckney House in Charleston. 

A portion of an ancient Indian mound lies on 
the place, and from the neighboring fields pots, 
beads, and other relics of a vanquished race have 
been recovered and are in the present house. 

In this book we have not proposed going back 
beyond the period of the first English settlement 




On Runnymede Grounds. 



of Carolina, but Capt. C. C. Pinckney went far 
beyond that, gathering many mementoes of a pre- 
historic era, among which are many varieties of 
elephant and mastadon teeth, huge teeth of sharks 
and bones of extinct species of fish and animals, 

154 



found among the phosphate deposits of lower Caro- 
Hna. 

Visitors will doubtless find welcome in the hos- 
pitable home and its prized trophies of the past can 
be viewed with the deep interest they must inspire 
in all cultivated minds. 



WILLIAM WRAGG'S NOBLE DEVOTION TO HIS 
PRINCIPLES 

A MOST notable example of devotion to prin- 
ciple was the stand taken by Mr. William Wragg 
of Charlestown, a man of lofty character, highly 
respected, and of abundant fortune. When asked 
to join with the rebels or patriots, he declined 
and said he did so because "of his gratitude for 
the honorable notice his Majesty had been pleased 
to take of him in appointing him, by his royal 
mandamus, Chief Justice of the Province, which, 
although he had declined, he did not consider him- 
self the less under obligations for. And in addi- 
tion thereto he had a right to exercise his own 
judgment in the premises, although in doing so 
his sentiments might differ from the general 
voice." 

He was required to take an oath that he would 
not, during the unhappy dispute between America 
and Great Britain, oppose the proceedings of the 
people. Mr. Wragg refused to take the oath, and 
the General Committee declared him inimical to 
the liberties of the Colonies, and ordered his con- 

155 



finement at his barony on the Ashley River^^^. 
He was afterwards compelled to leave the Prov- 
ince and embarked on a vessel bound to Amster- 
dam. When near that port the ship was driven 
on the shore, and in endeavoring to save the life 
of an infant son, he lost his own. A tablet in 
Westminster Abbey commemorates the loyalty and 
heroism of this good man, who gave up family, 
country and fortune rather than swerve from his 
convictio^ns of duty, though these convictions were 
opposed to the sentiments of his nearest and 
dearest friends and kindred. Let South Carolina 
never forget William Wragg, who dared to differ 
with his people and to sacrifice everything for the 
truest of all liberty, the liberty of his own con- 
science. 



CAPTAIN RUMPH AND BILLY STURKIE 

Capt. Jacob Rumph commanded during the 
Revolution a company of militia in Orangeburg 
County. His command was of more or less an 
irregular character, lived dn their farms, and as- 
sembled for duty when called on. On one occasion 
he was complained to by some women who had 
been on a trading expedition to Charlestown, that 
a party of Tory marauders had stopped their 
wagolns below Orangeburg and robbed them. 
Rumph collected some of his partisans and went 
in pursuit and captured the entire party. He took 

l4 8Xhe Wragg Barony was on the Ashley River Road, about 
two miles below Bacon's Bridge. 

156 



them to his ''bull pen"^^^. The robbed women 
identified them, and he justly proceeded to hang 
them on a big oak. Among them was a red- 
headed man, named Billy Sturkie. When he was 
about to be jerked up, one of the women cried out, 
''Stop! that red-headed man did not take anything, 
but tried to keep the others from stealing." Her 
statement was confirmed, and Sturkie turned loose, 
but so frightened that he feebly exclaimed, "You 
might as well a' hung me." 



PIRATES' BONES UNDER BATTERY PROMENADE, 
CHARLESTOWN 

The good folks, old and young, who daily 
promenade the beautiful Battery garden^^^ in 
Charleston, little think, as they walk or play, that 
they are trampling over the resting place of fifty 
dead pirates, including the infamous Stede Bon- 
nett. The pirates were captured in 1718, and 
after a fair trial, were condemned and then hanged 
and buried on White Point. The said bank has 
since been filled up, and on it stands the modern 
Battery Garden. The pirates who then infested 
the coasts of Carolina were routed out, and the 
leading gangs were captured by an expedition 
under Governor Johnson and Colonel Rhett. 



14 6Three miles from Orangeburg. 

14 7Battery at the extreme southern point of Charleston. 

157 



POMPION HILL CHAPEL 

PoMPiON Hill Chapel, on a high bluff on the 
eastern branch of the Cooper River, was the first 
Episcopal Church erected in the Province, outside 
of Charlestown. It was the Parish Church of St. 
Thomas Parish. The first building was erected 
in 1703, of cypress. In 1763 this was supplanted 
by a brick building. On approaching from the 
river side were seen (1842) four lofty pines, 
peering above all the other trees, lifting their ma- 
jestic heads in mid air, like giant sentinels, keep- 
ing watch and ward over the Church that lay at 
their feet. On the right of the Chapel is a deep 
and shady grove, spreading its sacred shelter 
over the graves of those who have gone before 
to make their quiet beds beneath the shadow of 
the spreading trees. 



MAGAZINE EXPLOSION 

After the British took possession of Charles- 
town the arms taken from the army and inhabit- 
ants, some 5,000 in number, were lodged in a 
laboratory on Magazine Street. Nearby wa-s a 
large quantity of cartridges and loose powder. 
By the imprudence of the guard, in snapping the 
guns and pistols, this powder took fire, blew up 
the house, dispersed the burning fragments which 
set fire to and destroyed the workhouse, the gaol 
and the old barracks. The British guard were 

158 



entirely destroyed, and their mangled bodies dashed 
by the violeint explosion against the neighboring 
houses in Archdale Street. Upwards of lOO per- 
sons lost their lives on this occasion. 



THE WILLIAM PITT STATUE 

When in 1766 the debate was on, in the British 
Parliament, to repeal the Stamp Act, which had 
been bitterly opposed by the American Colonies, 
William Pitt, Earl of Chatham, rose from his sick 
bed and in speeches of extraordinary eloquence, 
which produced an amazing effect on both sides 
of the Atlantic, justified the resistance of the Col- 
onies. 

The news of the repeal of the Stamp Act was 
received in Charlestown, May 6, 1766, with every 
demonstration of joy. The Provincial House of 
Commons of May 13th voted to have a statue made 
in England of the Right Honorable William Pitt 
as a memorial of the respect for his upright and 
disinterested conduct upon all occasions, and par- 
ticularly his assistance in procuring a repeal of the 
Stamp Act. 

May 31, 1770, the statue arrived. It was landed 
amongst a vast concourse of inhabitants, who re- 
ceived it with cheers, and, preceded by music, drew 
it by hand to the place where it was to rest until its 
pedestal could be erected. July 5th it was raised 
and placed upon the pedestal at the intersection of 

159 



Broad and Meeting Streets. It stood there during 
the siege of Charlestown in 1780, when a shot from 
a British battery carried away the right arm, which 
was extended. After the war it was found to in- 
terfere with travel through the two important 
thoroughfares, at whose intersection it stood, and 
it was taken down and carried to the Orphan 
House yard, where it was subsequently erected. 
Finally it was moved to Washington Park^^, where 
it now stands. The tablet on the pedestal gives 
its entire history. 



60Washington Park, enclosing City Hall, at the northeast 
corner of Meeting and Broad Streets, Charleston. 



160 




STATUE OF WILLIAM PITT. 

First erected 17G6. 



FROM THE HALLOWED PAST TO THE PRACTICAL 

PRESENT 

The purpose of the ''Romance of Lower Caro- 
lina" is two-fold. 

First, to gather in comprehensive form, many in- 
cidents illustrating the early Colonial and Revolu- 
tionary days of the section, for the information and 
inspiration of the present generation. 

Second, to point out the very spots where such 
history was made, that the reader may easily reach 
them, and standing on them imbibe the spirit of 
the great deeds thereon enacted. By the foot notes 
appended to the various articles this can be readily 
attained. 

For the people of Lower Carolina this is enough. 
It is hoped that by recalling the grand history their 
illustrious forefathers have made, they will be awak- 
ened to and appreciate the fact that few, if any, 
parts of our country is richer in thrilling patriotic 
deeds than Lower Carolina. 

But many strangers visit this section, particularly 
during the winter, so for the benefit of these, there 
is hereto added a brief summary of the routes to 
the central points of these historic localities, and 
when reached, how the tourist can be comfortably 
cared for. To show them how luxury will be 
gained, while pursuing that historic research, so 
much valued by the educated and refined. 



161 



THE SOUTHERN RAILWAY operates in 
**Lower Carolina" the first long railroad built in the 
world, i. c, the line from Charleston to Augusta. 
As the Southern Railway System includes the road 
which was first in construction, it has ever main- 
tained the lead, by giving to the travehng public 
comfort and safety, and to the hauling of freight 
the utmost dispatch. The millions of people who 
have received its benefits bear testimony to this. 
How times change ! The Southern now handles its 
passengers and freight in as many hours as were 
consumed in the olden time, days, in traversing the 
same distance. 

The lines of the Southern spread all over the 
South from Washington to the Mississippi River. 
Wherever it goes it gives the very best of service 
and enjoys the confidence of the people. 

The SEABOARD AIR LINE RAILWAY, 

the Progressive Railway of the South, is the short- 
est line from the North to Florida, and a direct one 
to Atlanta and Birmingham. It traverses Virginia, 
North and South Carolina, Georgia, Florida and 
Alabama, reaching all the prominent cities and con- 
necting the capitals of these States. Its biggest 
recent development is its entry into Charleston and 
the constructing of a line thence to Savannah, 
which will be the shortest line between these cities. 
Its through trains are safe, being all steel and 
luxurious with their free reclining chairs, Pullmans 
and Dining Cars. This Progressive Railway of 
the South is owned in the South and is operated 
by progressive Southern men. 



THE CHARLESTON CONSOLIDATED 
RAILWAY reaches all over the City, and should 
be used by all Tourists to visit the historic spots 
in the City. On the King Street Line are the 
Pringle House, Library, Horn work on Marion 
Square, and within a block the Unitarian, St. John's 
Lutheran and St. Mary's Churches and the Jewish 
Synagogue, and it runs up to Hampton Park. On 
the Broad Street and Belt Lines are the Old Ex- 
change, Wm. Pitt Statue, St. Michael's Church 
(and within a block St. Philip's and Huguenot 
Churches), Half Moon Battery, and Ferry to Fort 
Moultrie. On the Broad Street Line, also. Bethel 
Church, Old Bethel, and the Orphan House. On 
the Belt Line also sites of the Liberty Tree and of 
old Pinckney Mansion, Circular Church, and within 
a block the Rhett House, Tradd House, and site of 
first rice field. The Meeting Street Line carries 
one to the Battery, Scotch Church, South Carolina 
Society's Hall, St. Michael's, Horn Work, and up 
to Magnolia and the Country Club. The equip- 
ment and service is unsurpassed, and is a credit to 
its owners and the City it so ably serves. 

"THE CAROLINA" IN THE PINELAND 

of Summerville, S. C, is embowered in a grove 
of health-giving Pines and picturesque Live Oaks. 
It is modem, thoroughly heated, has many private 
baths, and is thoroughly homelike and attractive. 
On its grounds is a three-hole golf link and a tennis 
court. That many of its guests return year after 
year is the best evidence of the hospitable treat- 
ment received. 



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